Letter: Wrong to target flavored cigs, but not pharma ads
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hawaii’s attorney general has joined a multistate coalition urging a federal ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.
Regarding the article, “Hawaii attorney general calls for ban on menthol cigarettes, flavored cigars” (Star- Advertiser, Jan. 18): “Flavored tobacco products continue to pose significant threats to public health in Hawaii,” said Deputy Attorney General Ashley Tanaka. Really?
I’m wondering what Ms. Tanaka is doing about the roughly $3.5 billion being spent by pharmaceutical manufactures each year on drug advertising that Americans are assaulted with every day on television and radio. Ads for low-benefit, side-effect-laden drugs that have been shown to be either ineffective or have little or no benefit, compared to other treatments. And lest we kid ourselves, the drug makers want your children as much as tobacco makers.
Eliminating menthol cigarettes is just going after the low-hanging fruit. The real job is the creation, promotion and passage of legislation eliminating all drug advertising in America. It is hypocritical to allow pharmaceuticals and their unhealthy side effects to be freely advertised, while persecuting tobacco companies.
Bret Hill
Ewa Beach
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