Non smoker. Does not support plain packaging.
For me, I'm forced to wonder how far the purview for the government to disallow protecting a brand's image and presentation should extend. Is it a function of pure body count? Societal necessity?
Strictly speaking, any argument that could be made for cigarettes could be made for alcohol. It's an addictive substance with proven long-term health risks (Chirrhosis, for one). Not only that, but alcohol has IMMEDIATE health risks as well when consumed in certain quantities. So it's an inarguable danger to you and everyone around you; should it have plain packaging laws?
Sugary/fatty foods? We've all gotta eat, but the health risks for these are proven too. Sure, you're not much of a risk to the people around you; but it's arguable that the chemical response your brain gives when consuming that food indicates an addictive quality. Further, since childhood obesity is such a problem and targeted advertising is extremely effective for children, there is most certainly an argument for plain packaging for such products. Of course, then it becomes a question of 'what's the cut-off' or whether there should even be one. Is it fair to allow celery farmers to dress their product in bright and attention-grabbing colors, while forcing cattle ranchers to simply have their products labelled 'Beef'?
So there's the dilemma I face; not so much whether plain packaging is good or bad, but whether it's within the government's purview to screw around with a brand's image and presentation. And -if it is- what rules they'd have to follow to keep it from going too far.
For me, I'm forced to wonder how far the purview for the government to disallow protecting a brand's image and presentation should extend. Is it a function of pure body count? Societal necessity?
Strictly speaking, any argument that could be made for cigarettes could be made for alcohol. It's an addictive substance with proven long-term health risks (Chirrhosis, for one). Not only that, but alcohol has IMMEDIATE health risks as well when consumed in certain quantities. So it's an inarguable danger to you and everyone around you; should it have plain packaging laws?
Sugary/fatty foods? We've all gotta eat, but the health risks for these are proven too. Sure, you're not much of a risk to the people around you; but it's arguable that the chemical response your brain gives when consuming that food indicates an addictive quality. Further, since childhood obesity is such a problem and targeted advertising is extremely effective for children, there is most certainly an argument for plain packaging for such products. Of course, then it becomes a question of 'what's the cut-off' or whether there should even be one. Is it fair to allow celery farmers to dress their product in bright and attention-grabbing colors, while forcing cattle ranchers to simply have their products labelled 'Beef'?
So there's the dilemma I face; not so much whether plain packaging is good or bad, but whether it's within the government's purview to screw around with a brand's image and presentation. And -if it is- what rules they'd have to follow to keep it from going too far.
