GOSSIP:Fashion Blamed For Cigarette Glamour Myth

[stylegurrl]

Fashion industry is blamed for cigarette and glamour myth


By Jeremy Laurance

29 July 2004
The fashion industry was blamed yesterday for glamorising smoking, despite medical evidence which shows it hastens the onset of wrinkles and signs of old age.

Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, the Government's chief medical officer, accused the industry of deceiving the public by linking smoking cigarettes with beauty when the truth was that it destroyed the skin and made people look prematurely old.

"The tobacco industry is very good at using fashion, glamour and success as a hot button to promote its products. We should use skin ageing as a hot button on the health front," he said.

Displaying a series of photos of models smoking, he said: "They are a highly successful form of self-deception. They build up the myth that smoking gives you access to a dream of social success and advancement."

Yet the reality was that smoking destroyed the skin by degrading collagen and damaging the tiny blood vessels that feed it. He added: "Many people are aware smoking causes premature death and serious diseases like heart disease and cancer. Few know smoking prematurely ages the skin. [Yet] people will often observe smokers look a lot older than their years, and the changes are irreversible."

Sir Liam was speaking at the launch of his annual report on the state of public health. He raised the stakes in the battle to ban smoking in public by challenging ministers for the second time to take action towards a ban, which he said would reduce the number of young people taking up smoking and save hundreds of thousands of lives.

He said pubs, clubs and restaurants had boomed in Ireland and the US, where a ban was in place. Annual savings from a ban would be £2.3bn to £2.7bn, according to an economic analysis commissioned for the report - leaving the only counter-argument as the defence of smokers' rights.

John Reid, the Health Secretary, is known to be opposed to a ban, and favours voluntary measures to create smoke-free areas in bars and restaurants. Sir Liam said he disagreed with Mr Reid, but remained hopeful that he would change his mind. He said he had no plans to resign over the issue because of positive feedback from politicians.

His comments were welcomed by the anti-smoking lobby. Professor Rod Griffiths, the president of the Faculty of Public Health, said: "The truth is finally out. Smokers don't grow old, they just look old."

The British Medical Association said: "It is time for ministers to show leadership, and follow the example of Ireland, Norway and New York."

 

[nycgirl84]

Sounds like a good plan to me.

 

[Deleted member 4737]

Displaying a series of photos of models smoking, he said: "They are a highly successful form of self-deception. They build up the myth that smoking gives you access to a dream of social success and advancement."

Excuse me for being blunt, but how dumb and impressionable are people to want to start smoking because they see models doing it???

It's also kind of interesting that the cigarette companies don't catch as much heat...have you seen their ads with people out partying and enjoying themselves...I'm not saying that the industry doesn't promote smoking or that it does, but to soley blame fashion- it's kind of sad

 

[softgrey]

superficial and materialistic people who would be concerned with pre-mature wrinkling are also the likliest candidates for plastic surgery...



you're not going to get someone to quit smoking because it gives you wrinkles...they'll just get a facelift...

 

[vintage_princess]

They dont show smoking ads on TV where Im from...

 

[nuiko]

Originally posted by softgrey@Jul 30 2004, 07:51 PM
superficial and materialistic people who would be concerned with pre-mature wrinkling are also the likliest candidates for plastic surgery...
you're not going to get someone to quit smoking because it gives you wrinkles...they'll just get a facelift...

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too true!

 

[xclusive]

well ok now i REALLY want to quit

 

[TheSoCalledPrep]

It's not like you didn't know it was bad for your health before you took that first puff..

 

[Spike413]

I kinda disagree, it's not like the fashion flock are the first to use smoking as a symbol of glamour.....old Hollywood stars were always photographed smoking......and really, we don't all know by now that cigarettes are bad for you?

 

[softgrey]

Originally posted by xclusive@Jul 31 2004, 10:37 AM
well ok now i REALLY want to quit

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so did you?...quit i mean?...

 

[TheSoCalledPrep]

Originally posted by softgrey@Jul 31 2004, 05:23 PM
so did you?...quit i mean?...

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[CelineChic]

Originally posted by ebowleg@Jul 30 2004, 06:43 PM
Excuse me for being blunt, but how dumb and impressionable are people to want to start smoking because they see models doing it???

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You can say that same about people who pay 1,000$ for a purse because Paris Hilton has it. Or you can say the same for the people who soend 2,000$ on a Gucci dress because they saw it on the runway.

They do have a point

 

[TheSoCalledPrep]

^^ Very true, but a dress isn't damaging to your lungs

 

[Deleted member 4737]

^^ Very true, but a dress isn't damaging to your lungs

Very, very true

 

[CelineChic]

Originally posted by TheSoCalledPrep@Jul 31 2004, 07:22 PM
^^ Very true, but a dress isn't damaging to your lungs

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But its damaging to the wallet

 

[hollyslookingdry]

I will admit that smoking does look rather attractive.

But anyone who would take up a known cause of cancer, other illness, and death because it's attractive clearly has issues. I don't think that's the sole factor that would make someone smoke. Peer pressure and well sometimes life circumstances seem to be more of the cause to me.

 

[mishahoi]

Originally posted by hollyslookingdry@Aug 6 2004, 07:54 PM
I will admit that smoking does look rather attractive.

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blaeck!! maybe we are from different generations, but i think nowadays its starting to become more of an UNattractive thing to smoke. ugh, the most wasteful thing to do...i wanted to wring a mans neck today for walking in front of me and smoking....

 

[Amélie]

i don't think anyone can single handedly blame models for people smoking...but i do get really pissed off about them smoking and making it look glamourous...because it's foul...

 

[Incroyable]

Smoking if done correctly looks absolutey gorgeous.

Like my present avatar.

 

[ultramarine]

I'd rather blame people that star smoking on peer pressure than models glamorizing the image ... at least that's what happens in here.