Hey Janis...are you breaking the law...

...by allowing members to display cigarettes on their avatars? I'm not sure what the laws are in your country but here (Australia) and I think UK and America it would not be allowed.

Please, this is really just a topic for discussion, not a go at the members who are currently displaying cigarettes...honestly, as an ex-smoker the banning of adverts/having these horrible pictures of prem babies on the packets etc, never had much of an effect on me when I smoked. It was just an addiction I understand now but, I'm interested to see what others think?

Hi Hellon,

Is a crime or not? Just because something is a crime in one country doesn't mean that it is in another and it is those differences that can cause conflict especially on social media sites. However....

Sharing a site with other cultures gives us a unique opportunity to learn more about each other and to be more understanding of the differences that we have.
So the question I suppose that we should be asking is "Should an image that promotes what one culture considers illegal activity be displayed on social media where it could cause offence"?

I believe that everyone has a responsibility to try their best to live in harmony and therefore if you find that an image you are using has unwittingly caused offence or contravenes the laws of another country then I would think it would be natural instinct that you want to remove the image

Noooo...I'm not offended by the images, I honestly don't care...they do not affect me in anyway and, when I did smoke they wouldn't have either. That was my whole point really. Effectively, I do think, perhaps, these avatars would 'technically' be considered as illegal advertising but, from my experience when I did smoke, nothing, and I mean NOTHING would have stopped me so...I'm just asking members who smoke or who are trying to give up...do these avatars affect you in any way?

EDIT

I did used to turn the picture of the prem baby on the packet away I will admit...

Sorry I misunderstood what you were trying to say..

My husband is a hardened smoker and certainly there is no image that would put him off smoking. When you have an existing addiction you have to really want to quit and for many smokers they just enjoy it too much.

I don't know if this is helpful or not.... but I believe that the ban on advertising. sponsorships and promotion of cigarettes was aimed more at preventing young people being drawn in by the glamorous advertising from tobacco companies than trying to cure existing smokers. The images of rotting teeth and tumour filled lungs are designed I believe to be a further deterrent to potential smokers rather than existing.

USA: The Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1969 (the “Act”), 15 U.S.C. §§ 1331 et seq., as modified by the Little Cigar Act of 1973, makes it unlawful to advertise “cigarettes” and “little cigars” on “any medium of electronic communication subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission.” In 1986, the Comprehensive Smokeless Tobacco Health Educations Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 4401 et seq., banned advertisements for smokeless tobacco products.

Unless the display is for the purpose of advertising it is not banned.

I was mentioning to my wife the other day that you cannot see a movie any more without everyone smoking. In period pieces they smoke on elevators, offices and even airplanes.

I hope Janis checks in and this post's title startles him.

Interesting discussion...

I definitely agree with your point, Hellon, about the picture not affecting if you're going to smoke or not. If the craving is that bad, well, advertisements or such won't stop. I don't think it's a lack of information in this day and age since teenagers have access to the Internet and know about the effects of smoking, second-hand smoke... not to mention the campaigns and PSA's on tobacco use as well as anti-drug ads.

What I've found to be harmful on-line (mostly through tumblr, which I purposefully stay away from now) is a heavy focus on "aesthetics" and romanticization of harmful things, such as addictions. Addictions are set in a light of "beautiful tragedy" and tumblr often glorifies and justifies it. I noticed this with mental illness as well. When I joined tumblr during college, I would look at very dark photos/posts about depression. It fueled my own isolating, damaging thoughts. It all seemed tragic, but in a sort of "pretty" way. That's a seriously warped perspective.

I think if anything, seeing a person with the cigarette in their mouth would have more of an affect on someone than just a picture of a cigarette and flowers, or a cigarette and another object (like in my profile pic). But again, who can really affirm that? I think it's about perspective, if you grew up around adults who smoked constantly, etc. I've seen some photography done with cigarettes, pills and other harmful things used as commentary on society, so it can be used tastefully in art to portray a message.

Going off of what Larry mentioned, there is the history behind smoking in movies and tv shows, how it was socially acceptable and how in almost every scene you could expect to see actors and actresses sharing that moment. It became the "norm" if you will and viewers noticed the casual relationship between the person and smoking, as they would go about their day.

I personally don't find photos of cigarettes harmful since almost everyone who smokes is aware of the risks and holds control over their body. Addiction is addiction and it isn't going to be cured by simply banning advertisements or censoring media. Wouldn't that also be an attack on free speech? I used to chain-smoke a few summers ago when I was trying to not self-harm. In a way, smoking was an alternative way to harm myself in the long run and maybe that appealed to me. It helped when I became anxious and wanted to hurt myself in more immediate ways. Many people I know smoke as a coping mechanism or a way to distract themselves, relax or get through a tough moment. It fills the empty space in your day or night and many people like the feel and touch of actually holding something in your hand. It gives them something to do and a way to exhale from the rush and stresses of life.

Imagine Janis' surprise, Jane. I agree with Milly I think these measures may work for those who have not tried smoking yet. Smoking as you all say is in a way an addiction and one has to go thru physical and mental adjustments to quit it. My mom used to smoke when she is not feeling well, like one cigarette only. I think smoking like drinking wine can do something good for the body. I am not really sure though.

I find you avatar very appealing, if I'm being honest Maryanne..it just seems so relaxing...a book, cup of coffee and a cigarette, what better way to spend an afternoon but, in a sense it could be considered as advertising. I guess, as a 'recovering smoker' ( I call myself that became I've given up numerous times in the past. the longest 10 years, this time almost 5) it did make me want one but, only for a second haha!!

On a more serious note...

"What I've found to be harmful on-line (mostly through tumblr, which I purposefully stay away from now) is a heavy focus on "aesthetics" and romanticization of harmful things, such as addictions. Addictions are set in a light of "beautiful tragedy" and tumblr often glorifies and justifies it. I noticed this with mental illness as well. When I joined tumblr during college, I would look at very dark photos/posts about depression. It fueled my own isolating, damaging thoughts. It all seemed tragic, but in a sort of "pretty" way. That's a seriously warped perspective."

Wow...just wow! Thank you for making me aware of this...as stated before I'm totally neanderthal when it comes to social media but, to think that there's an outlet encouraging addiction in any form is totally off scale in my small mind...

Hellon! Leave Aegis alone. He's sexy af okay, I don't care if I have been conditioned by society/media/my uncle etc. Let's just turn that nasty nicotine to organic green, then we'll all be sweet.

dp. I'm breastfeeding and sleep deprived and typing with one finger. Where am I.

Multi-tasking in the middle of the night again Abby? Have you had another baby?

Organically green cigarettes....can you buy them at Coles :)?

Interesting topic, Hellon. I stopped smoking cold turkey on the 1st of January 2000 after having been a chain smoker for almost 30 years. The only years I did not smoke were when I was pregnant and until my son was about 4 years old. It is the hardest thing I have ever done. I literally sat on my hands for almost four months. Since then, King Nicotine has been lurking in the shadows of my being, waiting for a chance to regain control of me again. He never succeeded, but I know the memory of how he made me feel will forever be there. They say nicotine is more addictive than heroine and this is so because it is (still to some degree) accepted social behaviour, whereas using other highly addictive drugs is not. I would love to never be confronted with the sight and smell of cigarettes again, because it so reminds me of how it felt the few seconds prior to reaching for a cigarette. It always, always felt like things would be better, if I just had one more smoke...