The new "Second Hand Smoke" campaign

This is ridiculous. I'm going to call and write them to let them know how bad this is looking to the herp community. AND that snakes are not poisonous!

http://www.smokeispoisonous.com/

Has anyone else seen this add? I saw it on a bus today, and they were passing out t-shirts at my work.

I think you are overreacting a bit.

Really? I just think there is enough misconception about snakes. Do we really need more bad publicity?

We must face the fact that in Anglo American culture for the most part snakes are viewed in as threatening, cold creatures you don't want to mess with. So much so that we name fast cars after them (Cobra, Viper) and even name horrible drinks (snake bite) after them. We live in a society that uses snakes as an image of evil.

It's just part of it. But were not the only ones dog's get bad raps from locksmith company's, insects get a bad wrap from farmers and plant advertisements, Look at cute fuzzy rats they get as bad if not worse press than snakes ever thought about getting..

I think there is a big difference in using a snake as a bad image, and not being truthful about it. It wouldn't bother me if it said second hand smoke is venomous. Which I think sounds more effective.

I'm just not the kind of person to sit back and watch people get misinformed. :) At least I have convinced the people in my office. They don't wear the shirts (around me at least).

Consider that the majority of the population is Christian, which is a religion that uses a serpent to symbolize evil. I'm not sure an anti-smoking ad is a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

(note: not digging on religion, just stating fact)

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Originally Posted by stratus_020202

I think there is a big difference in using a snake as a bad image, and not being truthful about it. It wouldn't bother me if it said second hand smoke is venomous. Which I think sounds more effective.

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Wait...so your objection is over improper diction?

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Originally Posted by stratus_020202

I think there is a big difference in using a snake as a bad image, and not being truthful about it. It wouldn't bother me if it said second hand smoke is venomous. Which I think sounds more effective.

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:confused: Huh? Smoke is a poison... it's passive. Just like venom is a poison, but snakes are venomous. Make sense?

Well, you can't say I didn't try, regardless of whether or not it makes a difference.

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Originally Posted by stratus_020202

Well, you can't say I didn't try, regardless of whether or not it makes a difference.

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But I'm not clear on what you tried or why.

While I agree that snakes don't need any more bad press, I'm not sure this really counts as bad press. It's not like it depicted a snake seeking people out in order to bite them, after all, and within reasonable limits, anything that gets people to quit smoking and/or avoid being around smoke is a good thing.

Even those of you who choose to smoke do so knowing full well that you're setting yourself up for lung, mouth, and/or throat cancer, as well as emphysema and other health problems. It's not like the fact that tobacco smoke is toxic is some big secret. Do yourselves a big favor and quit smoking. Not only will you save yourself some really nasty illnesses, breathe more freely, and have more energy, you'll save probably $1000/year or more. If a pack of cigarettes is $3 and you smoke a pack a day, well, you can see where that math is going, right? That's at least one cool morph BP per year that you're missing out on by smoking. Quit smoking and buy more snakes instead. :)

Well then send them a polite email informing them of their mistake. Explain the difference between poisonous and venomous. Explain that using a snake to represent a word which doesnt even apply to a snake is an uneducated way of spreading health awareness.

And by the way.. Here is the means of doing just that..

Email - info@khf.org

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

dog's get bad raps from locksmith company's, insects get a bad wrap from farmers and plant advertisements, Look at cute fuzzy rats they get as bad if not worse press than snakes ever thought about getting..

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ok...i get the other about insects, but dogs and locksmiths? i dont get it, im a lil slow. lol
i dont think the add is really that bad, the people are just using that as a visual aide. they arent saying anything about snakes that people dont already know, they are poisonous. now if it was something like "cigarrettes are mean and only want to bite u and eat u", then ya id be angry