“Not One Single Case of Throat Irritation Due to Smoking Camels!”

Over the past few weeks I have posted a couple of vintage ads dealing with the way society views the female gender. Today’s vintage ad deals with something a little different – society’s view of smoking. Now before I go any further, it is not my intention to offend any of you who smoke nor is it my intention to pass any judgement upon you. We all know the medical dangers of smoking but whether or not you smoke is entirely up to you and I respect that.

I am not sure about other places around the world but here in Ontario and maybe even in all of Canada, it is illegal for advertisers to place ads in magazines and commercials on television which promotes smoking. They even go a step further in banning cigarette companies from sponsoring athletic teams and special events. The government is adamant to encourage young people to shy away from smoking and to drop the cost of healthcare by eliminating smoking all together.

I came across this vintage ad and couldn’t help but notice how we have changed from the ways things once were in our opinion of cigarettes. There were two phrases that caught my attention while perusing the ad. The first one was found at the bottom of the ad.

“Not one single case of throat irritation due to smoking Camels!”

Well, maybe not while smoking them but, as we now know that not only does smoking irritate the throat, it also is capable of creating cancer of the throat plus many other diseases.

The other phrase that caught my attention was a quote in the yellow box from American actress Joan Crawford.

“I wanted a cigarette with rich flavour that agreed with my throat. Camels have a wonderful flavour and the mildness that I demand!”

I think it safe to say that we would be hard pressed to find anyone that would honestly agree that cigarettes agree with anybody’s throat.

We have become a smarter society when it comes to medical knowledge regarding smoking. Youth are constantly targeted by health awareness organizations regarding this habit… More and more companies are investing billions of dollars into nicotine substitutes such as nicotine patches and gum. The law is becoming stiffer and stiffer regarding under age smoking. It is also illegal in Ontario, Canada for an adult to purchase cigarettes for a minor.

So, the ad is not only vintage, the statements are false and outdated as well… a very good example of how society’s attitudes towards a belief and way of life have changed. It is my hope that one day, for the health of a nation, smoking will be eradicated.

Incidentally, though Joan Crawford died of a heart attack, she was previously diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer which one of the main causes is due to smoking.

Something to think about!