WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.Editorial: Smokers Beware

Editorial: Smokers Beware

Posted: Updated:
By Collin Gaston - bio | email

  • Editorials

  • Friday, May 18 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-18 23:20:53 GMT
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident. The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident.  The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are the other motorists on the roadways.

  • Tuesday, May 15 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-15 23:20:31 GMT
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments: "If the budget is passed at this severely cut rate, the shortage of physicians, hospitals, and clinics
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments:

  • Tuesday, May 1 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-01 23:20:35 GMT
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"

  • Friday, April 20 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-04-20 23:20:42 GMT
    For the next sixty seconds I want you to give yourself permission to push pause on whatever you are doing and listen and reflect for a moment. I did this recently after reading an article titled "Top five

  • Wednesday, April 18 2012 7:27 PM EDT2012-04-18 23:27:31 GMT
    Representative Christopher John England (Tuscaloosa) has sponsored a bill in the Alabama legislature that would allow convicted felons of drug crimes to receive food stamps under certain circumstances.
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - -

By the fall of 2012 all cigarette makers will have graphic warning labels on cigarette packs depicting the health risks of smoking. These warnings, soon to be on the front and back of all packs, will constitute 50% of the top of the packaging as mandated by the Food and Drug Administration.  The FDA is also requiring the addition of a toll-free phone number to the labels that smokers can call to get advice on quitting.

Smoking-related diseases cause about 443,000 deaths a year in the U.S., according to government estimates and the FDA.  The FDA estimates these warnings alone will reduce the number of smokers by 213,000 in 2013. 

As someone that grew up with parents who smoked and have children that I do not want to start, these warnings are welcomed.  This not about being insensitive to those addicted to nicotine, but about saving lives now and in the future by taking the glamour out of smoking and using negative images to highlight the ill effects.

We hope everyone who wants to quit gets the help and support needed to quit and hopefully with this new packaging mandate those that are thinking about starting – won't.

We welcome your feedback.

Copyright 2011 WSFA 12 News. All rights reserved.