Do Proposed Warning Labels Go Far Enough?

The newly proposed cigarette warning labels seem to be stirring a bit of controversy,  some find them to be a bit harsh and graphic.  I’m trying to wrap my head around how anyone could possibly be offended being forced to subject their children to graphic images plastered on cigarette advertising while walking to the counter of your local convenience store or gas station.

The proposed rules  would require the images to occupy at least 20% of any advertising space and the 50% of the space on the front and back of cigarette packs.  I see nothing wrong with a healthy overdose of reality for the youngsters in this country.  It’s not like we would have the audacity to force them to watch the absurd violence of watching Elmer Fudd shooting the tail off poor defenseless Bugs Bunny on a Saturday morning.

I am even pondering if the proposed rules go far enough.  Sure they may have cigarettes covered for now, but what about some of the other health issues we face daily.

Take vehicle crashes for example, in 2009 there were 33,808  deaths due to vehicle crashes in the U.S.  We are constantly being reminded that seat belts and airbags greatly reduce the possibility of death during a crash.  It seems to me that a large permanent warning image placed on the passenger’s dash and the center of the steering wheel of all vehicles should be made mandatory.  The image should also be placed prominently on all “click it or ticket” road signs.  That may get people’s attention and remind them to buckle up better than that insistent distracting light on the dash.

OK, maybe a seat belt might not have saved this girl, it doesn’t appear that the airbags helped much either.  Regardless, the message is a good one and if a message like this would save one life wouldn’t it make it worthwhile to make sure everyone sees it?

One of the major causes of car crashes is the use of alcohol, which many times negates the life saving characteristics of seat belts.  If you decide to drink and don’t kill yourself when you crash, you are still taking health risks.  Brain damage & liver disease might get you.  So I propose these images be placed on alcoholic beverage containers, advertising billboards, and television commercials. The first image shows the long term effects of alcohol on the brain.  With that much structural change one’s thought processes is also bound to change.  Thus, scientifically proving true the T-shirts you’ve seen, “Instant Asshole – Just add alcohol”.  On the second thought the instant part may not necessarily true, some people are assholes before they start drinking.  On a further note, once this damage is done it cannot be reversed, so you will then forever be an asshole.  No one likes an asshole, so most would just as soon see you keep drinking you pathetic life away until you liver resembles the second image.  To avoid this scenario from becoming an actuality to today’s youth in America these images should be seen by all children early and often.

Another big fat health concern in the forefront is well, big and fat, and the dangers it can pose.  Dealing primarily with the fast food industry can keep today’s youth from succumbing to coronary heart disease later in life by simply displaying images of the effects the happy meal they are about to devour may have on them. 

Displaying images similar to this on the menu board, food wrappers, sacks, boxes, billboards, and television advertisements should raise awareness significantly.  Current proposals are to ban including toys with kids meals. But think about it, the kids like the toys in a kids meal, but they like the food too.  The toys will break on the way home, you will throw it away, and it will not be missed.  How is this going to reduce the sales of the toxins we happily keep poisoning our children with.  It won’t.  But with gruesome images constantly being drilled into our children’s consciousness they will eventually not even want these products.

We can eventually expand this into other health issues as well:

I am not going to go into great detail below, just trying to get my point across, as far as dietary issues we have.

• Red Meat – Increased risk of cancer
• Fish – Risk of increased mercury levels
• Pork – Risk of parasites
• Eggs – Risk of Salmonella
• Dairy – Risk of cancer & cardiovascular disease
• Vegan diet – Risk various vitamin and mineral deficiencies

That pretty much leaves water.  Water is needed to survive but does not provide any nutrients that the body also needs.  Some water sources contain arsenic and other contaminants that can be unhealthy as well.

To avoid the risks of these issues warning stickers should be put on all foodstuffs,  and advertising materials of each.

After reading all the warning stickers on all food stuffs. No one will want eat or drink anything for fear of the health risks associated involved.  So I came up with another warning label, but I can’t figure out anything to stick it on.

Furthermore, I have not been able to come up with any activity, or inactivity for that matter, that does not have at least one health risk associated with it.

Knowing this, maybe our government needs to stop and realize that life itself is a terminal disease with a 100% mortality rate.  It is not the government’s responsibility, obligation, or right to protect its people from their own decisions.

It is also high time the people of this country take responsibility for their own actions, quit trying to blame others for the consequences of decisions they have made themselves, and wake up to the fact Hank Williams and Fred Rose penned so eloquently, “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive”.