I know that I already did a blog on the dangers of smoking, but when I read this article I felt like I had to do a post on it. The tobacco companies are trying to reinvent tobacco products to draw in new users, and switch ones who are tyring to quit cigarettes. This new product the tobacco company's are selling is called "snus" and is similar to normal chewing tobacco but you don't have the mess of spitting the juice out, you can just swallow it. They are giving coupons for a free tin of snus when you buy a pack of cigarettes. This product is said to be a safer alternative to cigarettes, and it is more convenient because you don't need to go outside to use it like you would for a cigarette. What I got from the article is that the tobacco companies are selling it as a way to wean yourself off cigarettes, but health officials really think it is just another form of tobacco for their consumers to get addicted to. Personally I feel like the tobacco companies have no motive to wean people off their products because this goes against all smart business practices, and really are just giving people a more convenient way to use their products. Another problem with snus is that because it is so new, there has been no research done on it. Health officials don't really know what is is capable of doing to your mouth, throat, and stomach because after all you are supposed to swallow the juice when your using it.
The article was focusing on West Virgina where 27% of people smoke, and 16% of people use some form of chewing tobacco. A member of the tobacco prevention is quoted as saying "The (Tobacco) industry is brilliant, and whatever they want to outspend us by- 1 million, 10 million, or 100 million- they can do it". It is a constant uphill battle for these people to try and combat what big tobacco is doing because they have far less resources. I personally feel like this is just another revenue source for the tobacco companies, regardless of how unknown and dangerous the product is. But if people are willing to buy it, I guess it is working for them. Since all of tobacco preventions resources go to anti-smoking advertisements, tobacco companies are now selling more things like chewing tobacco, and they are even developing tobacco dissolving strips you can use. It is absurd how much money big tobacco has, and they are relentless in their efforts to try and draw in more and more customers however they can. Just another thing you probably should stay away from to keep healthy.
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