You've Come a Long Way Response

Responding to Bolos' blog on the Virginia Slim cigarette ads, I think its really interesting how the cigarette company linked smoking to women's rights. They're basically saying that women were not even allowed to, god forbid, smoke in front of men without being punished in some way. But now that women can vote and do what they please, they can smoke in front of "formally dominate men" and even smoke special cigarettes made just for women.  In my personal opinion I think smoking is not the smartest choice one could make but after seeing these ads I could see why women would jump on these in a heartbeat. We've all hear the saying "Stick it to the man" and that is exactly what these ads are asking women to do. Show those stupid men whose boss and smoke when you want to, where you want to, and with whom you want to. 

Also, Bolos also asked the question wondering if we remember cigarette billboards near schools or on T.V. My answer is yes. I remember driving down the highway with looking at all the smoking ads showing all-American cowboys looking glamorous while taking a puff from a cigarette. But one story that probably hit me the most was the one my dad told me. When he was young cigarette companies basically had no limits on advertising. When he was a young boy he used to go into a drug store and by his father's cigarettes without ever needing a parent with him. Besides that, a way to encourage kids to smoke was to sell a single cigarette for only a penny so that way they didn't have to spend a lot of money on an entire pack. If tobacco companies did not have the restrictions that they do today how do you think they would be advertising?