you can't say that on the internet

Yes, I’ve been lazy with writing more for this. I was actually supposed to do this entry a couple of weeks ago but I just went on living my life.

Today is World No Tobacco Day and in hindsight there is no better day to write what I had planned to a while back. By now, you all (implying more than one person reads this) would have heard about the cigarette tax hike, and the new blank packaging that has been introduced. Why the blank packets? Apparently, our generation is attracted to shiny, colourful things, much like a red packet of cigarettes. When the blank packaging was first mentioned on the news, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for anyone who took the story seriously. The reporter actually asked these four kids if a blank white carton was appealing to them. What else were they going to say, other than “nah not really”? I’m sure if they showed a carton of Winfield Red, the interview would turn into a battle royale over who gets the cigarettes, because they’ll be attracted to the bright colours and fancy patterns.

Almost 50 years ago, people were saying how everyone would quit smoking when the price would rise to $1/packet. It seems that nobody has been paying attention to this fact, and really, if you have been smoking for say 5-10 years already, you aren’t going to stop when it starts costing $1.50-$2 more. The Cancer Council wants to stop people our age from smoking.

I was almost definitely planning on writing more than these pissy little paragraphs, but as of right now I really can’t be bothered. I’ll add some more to it (read: I won’t) later when I think of it.