Recently the Washington State Department of Health started running these commercials about real people who are writing letters to themselves, starting with “Dear Me…” and stating what’s going on in their lives and why smoking is slowing them down. The whole concept is as simple as this:
No one can make me quit but me.
This is so true. I’m one of the lucky ones. As an ex smoker of about 20+ years, at the height of my smoking, I was smoking about 2 packs a day. I quit because I got the flu and every time I tried to smoke a cigarette, I couldn’t stop coughing. So eventually after a week of being sick, I just didn’t smoke anymore. But honestly, I know how hard it is to quit because I tried. I’ve tried so many times I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve tried. I’m so glad I did.
My dad has emphysema and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). So just watching my dad carry around an oxygen tank everywhere he goes is reminder enough to why it’s bad to smoke. Smoking is bad. But you know, no one can make you quit but you. Maybe you should write a letter to yourself and be objective about it and say what you’ve been wanting to say all this time. Maybe you’ll realize how much you should be quitting.
If you want to see one of the commercials, the video is after the bump. I think this one Really hit close to home.
- Excited
- Fascinated
- Amused
- Bored
- Sad
- Angry
These commercials really bug me simply because of the two I have seen on tv, they portray the smokers as "trailer trash". Let's see a rich, beamer driving, five thousand dollar suit, man writing a letter. I want to quit myself, but a commercial that makes me feel like a loser or criminal for smoking, isn't going to make that need to quit any greater.
It's like those depression commericals where their surroundings are all gray and shabby until they take the medicine, then their houses are nicer, their clothes fancier. Complete B.S.
The only one that left a dent on me is the one where the mom died of lung cancer at 35 from smoking and left her kids behind.
Dear Washington State:
Wanna make a difference? Take the money you use for those commercials and supply non-insured residents chantix prescriptions. That will produce better results.
Love, Melanie
(I didn't watch the one above so I can't speak for it, but the two I have, clearly live in poor dwellings and have more problems than smoking)
p.s. sorry for the rant. i wuv u.
I didn't think any of the ones I saw were really trailer trash. And really, the rich ones who smoke? I can't relate to them anyways. Boohoo I'm so rich but I'm getting emphysema. Well you can pay for the costs, so who cares.
I quit smoking a few years ago. I'm glad I did too. Thanks, Yosh.