Anti-Smoking PSA

I found this flame war going on over this PSA on a blog I won't give mention to because I don't want to drive more traffic there. I think it's a good PSA and the director even stood up and defended her work in a response the the negative blogging. here is her response:

here's my response....


I directed this commercial because I believe that people who are
complacent enough to continue smoking in front of their children need
a huge jolt - something powerful to alter their way of seeing their
actions.

People may be furious with the comparison between second hand smoke
and child abuse - this is not a surprise. It is extremely disturbing
to hear the sounds of the child in the spot being abused - as it
should be. It's also extremely disturbing that there are still
parents out there who know that smoking causes illness and possible
death in children, yet they continue to smoke in front of them!

First off, the definition of abuse is "to treat in a harmful,
injurious, or offensive way..." In webster's it's "a corrupt practice
or custom".

What happens to babies when they are exposed to cigarette smoke?
--Babies and children who are exposed to cigarette smoke have a much
higher incidence of pneumonia, asthma, ear infections, bronchitis,
sinus infections, eye irritation, and croup.
--Colic occurs more often in babies whose mothers or fathers smoke or if
a breastfeeding mother smokes.
--Researchers believe that not only does the nicotine transferred into
mother's milk upset baby but the passive smoke in the home acts as an
irritant.
--Babies of smoking parents fuss more, and mothers who smoke may be
less able to cope with a colicky
baby (due to lower levels of prolactin).
--Heavy smoking by breastfeeding moms occasionally causes symptoms in
the breastfeeding baby such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and
diarrhea.
--Babies of smoking mothers and fathers have a seven times greater
chance of dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
--Children of smoking parents have two to three times more visits to
the doctor, usually from respiratory infections or allergy-related
illnesses.
--Children who are exposed to passive smoke in the home have lower
blood levels of HDL, the good cholesterol that helps protect against
coronary artery disease.
--Children of smoking parents are more likely to become smokers themselves.
--A recent study found that growing up in a home in which two parents
smoked could double the child's risk of lung cancer later in life.

I will confess that I grew up in an extremely abusive household - this
commercial is tame in comparison to some of the things I experienced
and witnessed as a child. I also have have known a child raised in a
family of smokers who died from cancer. Growing up I was friends with
two other children who had terrible asthma and chronic respitory
infections - all were raised in families where the parents smoked
around the children.

Now that we're adults who is worse? I've gotten counseling, resolved
most of the issues with my family and am living a productive life. My
friends still have constant asthma attacks and have had respitory
infections that have lead to three bouts with pneumonia. Not to
mention the fact that their father passed away ten years ago from lung
cancer. So... who is worse off?

No one is is. That's the point. Child abuse is horrible. Smoking
around your children is abuse.


As a mother of two small children, I believe that no child should be
subjected to abuse of any kind. I'm proud of this spot - I believe it
is a powerful statement on the behalf of children. My sincere hope is
that parents who are currently smoking around their children will see
this spot and make the right decision to NEVER smoke around their
child again. We're not telling people to quit smoking - just quit
smoking around your child. Take that cigarette outside, don't smoke
in the car...

Sincerely,
Ramaa Mosley
Triofilms.com

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• smoking
• cancer
• child
• abuse

[darkwatch1234]

I think any kid would rather have their dad smoke than beat them

[CrazyLizardMan]

My grandma smoked around me from the time I was a baby, and she was the most loving, caring woman I've ever met in my life.

To be perfectly honest, this offends me.

Lots of perfectly loving parents/grandparents smoke around their children; they don't need to be accused of child abuse, they need education.

For what it's worth, i smoke. But, if I ever have kids, I wouldn't smoke around them.

[yseto123]

Zombie Kid try to kill their dad of September through December of 2009. So their dad was died Last Year of 2010, And then this year of 2011 their dad is still died, And then next year of 2012 their dad is still died, And then in 2 Years of 2013 their dad is still died, And then in 2014 their dad is gone forever. So kid and their mom was really sad about their dad is died in last year, next year, 2 years, and 3 years.

[yseto123]

If their dad will died in Last year of 2010, and this year of 2011, and Next Year of 2012, and 2013, and In 2014 their dad was gone forever.

[justanoli]

This is a perfect example of how people will tastelessly exploit an issue to push another agenda. Show this to children who have actually been beaten like that by their abusive parents, and see if they feel it is an adequate PSA. Maybe your next commercial should have a dad raping his young daughter. Because all abuse is the same, right?

Disgusting.

[TheRagingPatrick]

This is fucking ridiculous, you have no solid references for your facts stated in the description.

[yseto123]

OH MY GOSH A ZOMBIE KID IS TRYING TO KILL THEIR DAD!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAH!!!

[yseto123]

Damn you their dad you will died in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and You will gone in 2015, SEE YA!!!

[yseto123]

It's HALLOWEEN!!!

[yseto123]

Zombie kid kills their dad of September through December of 2009, Then their dad is died in January through December of 2010, Then kid and their mom is really sad about their dad died, Kid and their mom is give the flowers to their dad, This year of 2011 their dad's gone forever, then in 2012 their dad's still gone, Then in 2013 their dad's still gone, Then in 2014 their dad is still gone and then in 2015 their dad's gone forever.

[yseto123]

If their dad use guns to shoot that zombie kid and zombie kid might be blood and dead, It was kind like Resident Evil 2, so if their dad was died in last year of 2010, and then when kid was sad if their dad was died in last year of 2010 kid and their mom was all alone.

[yseto123]

WTF!!! Does their dad mad at kid or Fight that kid to get out of their house, Their dad will use a gun to shoot that zombie kid like Resident Evil Director's Cut, If their dad wants to kill that zombie kid.