Following the Swine flu epidemic on TV is pretty intense. Way better than Bird Flu, and a contender with the economic recession. Today, I saw a couple people on the New York City streets sporting surgical masks. If this trend continues soon New York is going to look like Mexico. I didn’t want to be left out.

It took me an hour and seven pharmacies to locate a surgical mask. Every single store was sold out. The only reason I obtained one was because a pharmacist gracious gave one of hers. It wasn’t really until then I realized the severity of the Swine Flu. Or, at least, the portrayed severity, seeing as how this outbreak is quite similar to a regular flu season.  But still, I rushed home to try on my new contraption, which looks much like a 1930s maxipad. (more…)

Everybody knows, smoking kills. From Truth’s “hip” viral marketing campaigns to your Aunt Debby’s constant hacking, the fact that tobacco use kills more than 5 million people per year and is the cause of six of the world’s eight leading causes of death shouldn’t surprise anyone. And yet people keep smoking. For that reason, anti-smoking organizations continue pumping out some of the most vile, disgusting images on television. From singing cowboys to crying children, the shock-and-awe tactics of these “public service” ad campaigns can nauseate even the strongest stomachs. (more…)

Remember when The Truth first started? Way back in 1998, it was a little grassroots organization dedicated to putting out the truth about the tobacco industry. I was only 11 back then, but I still thought it was pretty cool that there were people hitting the streets and just talking to people about how harmful cigarettes can be.

But I know you guys have seen the recent Truth commercials. Sure, they’re still sort of living up to their name. Still, it seems like they’re more interesting in getting the shocked “WTF?” reaction out of people instead of educating them.

Most people in my family don’t smoke. I happen to be allergic to cigarette smoke, and I have asthma, so taking a puff for me would kind of be like committing suicide. One of my aunts smoked until the day she died about seven or eight years ago. My other aunt stopped smoking shortly after. I have a bunch of friends who smoke, though. And no matter how much lecturing they get, I know that most of them are not going to stop smoking. Hell, I remember asking a friend of mine at school if he thought he would ever quit smoking. He laughed. Then coughed. (more…)

…Bringing the total number of reasons to 6 trillion. I’m not sure if this actually counts as ‘news’ to people with common sense, but it seems as though someone has finally decided to do a little research on exactly how much harm discarded cigarette butts are doing to the environment. It turns out, a lot! Who would’ve thought, a deadly, chemical laden stick thats bad for you and Mother Earth? (more…)