I am surprised the editors of the Oklahoma Daily allowed this one past them. Cassie Rhea Little’s “arguments” that smoking is sexy is no more than an opinion, and a brain-washed one at that. Just because we see images of sexy people smoking doesn’t mean smoking is sexy. That is what big tobacco companies want you to believe. Just talk to your friends who are marketing majors the two images that sell most are sex and happiness.
Is smoking really sexy? While it is true there are plenty of images of sexy women smoking cigarettes, I challenge you and Ms. Little to think beyond the image being presented. The women are sexy NOT the smoking. We see smokers every day. They are huddled outside non-smoking office buildings, driving in their cars, and many in their own homes since 25% of Oklahomans still smoke. How many of these people look sexy? Can’t you see the sexy image is really just that an image of a sexy woman or man who is smoking.
Even if you still believe smoking is sexy, think about how many people you know over 30 years old who have been smoking very long. Are they sexy? You may be able to say yes to one or even two, but most are not sexy. They smell like cigarettes, NOT sexy! Their faces are aging quicker than others who do not smoke, NOT sexy! And they are coughing regularly and may even have serious health problems related to their smoking, NOT sexy! Why do we allow a few images of sexy people to influence us? I suggest Ms. Little try a little academic exercise and try to look beyond images presented in movies and media to determine if something is truly sexy.
The bottom line is - - Smoking has been portrayed by the tobacco companies as sexy and Ms. Little and the editors of The Oklahoma Daily have fallen for it! I’m sure most of our fellow students at the University of Oklahoma will NOT fall for the same!
Furthermore, Ms. Little casually points out 440,000 people DIE each year in the United States from their tobacco use. That is ONE in FIVE deaths, not getting ill but DEATH! Ms. Little might want to do some more homework before she lights up again because the risk starts with smoking just a few cigarettes. There is not space in this comment box to address all the health issues related to smoking and the risk at various levels, but there is plenty of easily accessed information on websites like the CDC, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association and others. If you don’t want to look that hard, just think about those smokers you know or see who don’t look so sexy. The TRUTH is: cigarette smoke is aging their internal organs, just as it is their wrinkled, yellow skin – NOT SEXY!!
Mary Williams Graduate student of Epidemiology, OUHSC
Posted on August 29 at 10:08 a.m.Suggest removal
Smoking is sexy??
I am surprised the editors of the Oklahoma Daily allowed this one past them. Cassie Rhea Little’s “arguments” that smoking is sexy is no more than an opinion, and a brain-washed one at that. Just because we see images of sexy people smoking doesn’t mean smoking is sexy. That is what big tobacco companies want you to believe. Just talk to your friends who are marketing majors the two images that sell most are sex and happiness.
Is smoking really sexy? While it is true there are plenty of images of sexy women smoking cigarettes, I challenge you and Ms. Little to think beyond the image being presented. The women are sexy NOT the smoking. We see smokers every day. They are huddled outside non-smoking office buildings, driving in their cars, and many in their own homes since 25% of Oklahomans still smoke. How many of these people look sexy? Can’t you see the sexy image is really just that an image of a sexy woman or man who is smoking.
Even if you still believe smoking is sexy, think about how many people you know over 30 years old who have been smoking very long. Are they sexy? You may be able to say yes to one or even two, but most are not sexy. They smell like cigarettes, NOT sexy! Their faces are aging quicker than others who do not smoke, NOT sexy! And they are coughing regularly and may even have serious health problems related to their smoking, NOT sexy! Why do we allow a few images of sexy people to influence us? I suggest Ms. Little try a little academic exercise and try to look beyond images presented in movies and media to determine if something is truly sexy.
The bottom line is - - Smoking has been portrayed by the tobacco companies as sexy and Ms. Little and the editors of The Oklahoma Daily have fallen for it! I’m sure most of our fellow students at the University of Oklahoma will NOT fall for the same!
Furthermore, Ms. Little casually points out 440,000 people DIE each year in the United States from their tobacco use. That is ONE in FIVE deaths, not getting ill but DEATH! Ms. Little might want to do some more homework before she lights up again because the risk starts with smoking just a few cigarettes. There is not space in this comment box to address all the health issues related to smoking and the risk at various levels, but there is plenty of easily accessed information on websites like the CDC, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association and others. If you don’t want to look that hard, just think about those smokers you know or see who don’t look so sexy. The TRUTH is: cigarette smoke is aging their internal organs, just as it is their wrinkled, yellow skin – NOT SEXY!!
Mary Williams
Graduate student of Epidemiology, OUHSC
On