Finland Wants Its Troops To Stop Smoking

Wait, Finland has an army? I kid, I kid.

(Via - Copyranter)

FDA Wants Gruesome Smoking Warnings

The FDA has proposed changing the warnings on cigarettes to include photos of dead bodies and gruesomely emaciated cancer patients.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials said a new "comprehensive tobacco control strategy" would include not only these graphic photos but bold statements such as "Smoking Will Kill You." "Today, FDA takes a crucial step toward reducing the tremendous toll of illness and death caused by tobacco use by proposing to dramatically change how cigarette packages and advertising look in this country. When the rule takes effect, the health consequences of smoking will be obvious every time someone picks up a pack of cigarettes," U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg said in a prepared statement. "This is a concrete example of how FDA's new responsibilities for tobacco product regulation can benefit the public's health."

The new warnings will be required within about 18 months.

Quote Of The Day II - Michael Bloomberg

"I said to David Paterson, I said, ‘You know, get yourself a cowboy hat and a shotgun. If there’s ever a great video it’s you standing in the middle of the New York State Thruway saying you know read my lips, the law of the land is this and we're going to enforce the law.'" - Michael Bloomberg, telling Gov. Paterson that he needs to crack down on Native-American tribes selling tax-free cigarettes.

Gothamist notes that the Seneca Nation is, uh, "on the warpath" over the historical insensitivity of the comment. Like in the rest of the country, New York's native tribes consider themselves sovereign nations and therefore not subject to state taxes. Both the city and the state recently increased the tax on cigarettes to the highest in the nation, sending city residents flocking to local Native-American websites and tribal outposts. In NYC a pack of cigarettes presently costs about $12-$13, with another increase due shortly. Bloomberg has stated that he wants to see cigarettes cost $20/pack before the end of his final term.