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Smoking – a Badge of Honor for Smokers

Scientists found that if smokers will be marginalized in society they will begin to see their habit as a symbol of honor.

There have been cases of people being refused jobs or are being sacked just for being smokers even though they promise not to smoke at work. Anti-tobacco campaigns are anti-smoking, but not anti-smoker and in today's climate researchers think that there is a very real danger that smokers are being marginalized in our society.

When the smoking ban comes into force in England in July smokers will be exiled to the outdoors. Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) campaigned for the new law because it is now known that second-hand smoke is a killer and it is only right that smokers should not harm those around them.

World Health Organization said that smokers should be allowed to carry on smoking if they want to, as long as the health of others is not put at risk, and the only way to do that is not to allow people to smoke in enclosed places.

Smokers must not be marginalized, because there's a danger that they'll begin to see their habit as a badge of honor, a sign of individuality, something to be proud of.

While it's important to accept the rights of smokers to carry on smoking, it also needs to be recognized that being a smoker is not a matter of free choice, they're gripped by an addiction fuelled by the tobacco industry and they need support to give up.

The advertisements and others which tell smokers about the many poisonous substances in cigarettes, such as benzene, arsenic and formaldehyde or how fags make them impotent, smell bad and look old are all designed to shock people into giving up.
The evidence is that these advertisements work.

In a study it was showed that young people in particular responded most to advertisements with graphic, visceral, negative or strong testimonial elements. Young people think that they're invincible and they need strong messages for them to take on board the information. That’s why it's important to reach smokers when they're young.

Researchers found that most smokers wish they could quit their habit but once started it is very difficult to stop. Over the last 25 years only one half of smokers gave up before they reached 60.