(At the very least they're far ahead on cigarette warning labels.)

FUMARE UCCIDE! (SMOKING KILLS!

IL FUMO DANNEGGIA GRAVEMENTE TE E CHI TI STA INTORNO (Smoking harms you severly and those around you)

PROTEGGI I BAMBINI: NON FARE LORO RESPIRARE IL TUO FUMO (Protect children: Don't make them breathe your smoke)

IL FUMO CREA UN'ELVATA DIPENDENZA, NON INIZIARE (Smoking causes a heavy dependency, don't start)

IL FUMO PROVOCA CANCRO MORTALE AI POLMONI (Smoking causes deadly lung cancer)

IL FUMO OSTRUISCE LE ARTERIE E PROVOCA INFARTI E ICTUS (If you smoke you're a complete idiot, your arteries will clog up and you will die a painful horrible death from a heart attack)LOL! Actually: Smoking obstructs your arteries and causes heart attacks.

Last year while living in Italy I was completamente affascinato with the warning labels on Italian cigarettes.
Walk into any store in Italy where there are cigarettes for sale and you see the above warning labels.

Compare these warning labels in Italy to a current warning on a pack of American cigarettes: SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide.

Last year over 450,000 people in the U.S. died from smoking yet they can't put this on a pack of cigarettes. Give me a break!

A proposito. Italy has the second lowest level per capita of cigaretee smokers in Europe. Just behind Sweden, credo.

Italian legislation has prohibited smoking in the workplace since 2005, including bars and restaurants.

Si lo so it seems like a lot of people in Italy smoke. But it's on the decline. E si lo so che the U.S. has a lower per
capita of cigareete smokers che Italia. When people started smoking meno qui the U.S. cigarette companies started targeting
Europe and the rest of the world. China e Giappone fuma piu che nessuno.
We get all their goods and they get all our cigarettes.

Out of the top 10 countries that consume the most cigarettes per capita, only one country was not in Europe: Japan.
The number one spot goes to none other than the Greeks who, according to a study by market research group ERC,
smoked over 3,000 cigarettes per head in 2006. Here's how the top 10 fared:

Greece
Macedonia
Russia
Czech Republic
Slovenia
Spain
Japan
Ukraine
Bulgaria
Moldovia

Which Country Smokes the Most? Here's the Top 10 - Gadling ...Which Country Smokes the Most? Here's the Top 10. by Justin Glow May 21st 2007 @ 11:52AM. Wow, Europe -- you've got a smoking problem! ...
http://www.gadling.com/2007/05/21/wh...res-thetop-10/ - 118k - Cached - Similar pages

BBC News | EUROPE | Greece faces lung cancer 'epidemic'Mar 18, 2002 ... Experts in Greece say a new wave of lung cancer victims is expected over the ... Concern over lung cancer death rate. 01 Aug 01 | Health ...
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1878359.stm - 35k - Cached - Similar pages

Villa, I do smoke, and those menacing things written on cigarette boxes never made me change my mind.
I think culturally Italian people accepts smoking much more than US culture, in which it seems almost a murder to light a cigarette.
So imho it's useless to put great warning signs on boxes, if the surrounding culture accepts smoking as normal it will always be easier to start.
Then I think each one should be able to choose the best way to kill one's self.

__________________

"I think each one should be able to choose the best way to kill one's self"

the problem is that people start too much young. Here the cigarettes are bought anywhere and nobody asks the age. I think that the State would have to make more. Harder controls in order not to sell cigarettes to the young

All i came here to say was shame on you Dan. SHAME ON YOU!

Smoking will kill you. You want to die, light 'em up.

However, we must absolutely prevent the cigarette companies from recruiting children into smoking.

But once you are an adult and can make an informed decision you should be able to do what ever the hell you want (as long as you don't harm others).

The "second hand smoke" argument is make believe. There is zero(? I'll try and find my source again) evidence of second hand smoke causing any damage to non-smokers.

That said, I hate smoke so keep it away from me when I'm at a restaurant or movie or any where.

[QUOTE=m1ke_l;17383]Smoking will kill you. You want to die, light 'em up.

The "second hand smoke" argument is make believe. There is zero(? I'll try and find my source again) evidence of second hand smoke causing any damage to non-smokers.

IL FUMO DANNEGGIA GRAVEMENTE TE E CHI TI STA INTORNO (Smoking harms you severly and those around you)

Mike, You should write to the Italian cigarette companies and tell them to take this warning label off their cigarette packs since it's not true secondo te.

I have heard (and I am looking for the original source) the the "Second Hand Smoke" issue was picked up from a weak report on the matter and over blown by anti-smokers and the media (the media also caused the panic of the silicon breast implants since there is also no actual evidence they leak).

until then, here is (admittedly weak source) http://www.davehitt.com/facts/who.html
"Fact: The study found no statistically significant risk existed for non-smokers who either lived or worked with smokers."

although i just found this which doesn't help my case:
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/librar...actsheet9.html

Zidanie5, Non sono molto d'accordo con te. 50 anni fa forse piu di half of Italians smoked. Adesso solamente 26% of Italians smoke. Insomma
it looks like those cigarette warnings on the boxes have helped along with all the news of people dieing horrible lung cancer deaths.

A friend of mine smoked 4 packs of cigarettes a day. He died a horrible death from throat cancer.

Zidanie5, I go to the gym 2 or 3 times a week, play soccer(sono anche un soccer coach, jog, practice martial arts and ride a bicycle.
I'd probably be dead by now if I smoked. Tu non sei molto sportivo come me. RDS! Sto Scherzando.

Even more incredibly was the fact that the Italians got on board with the anti-smoking legislation way ahead of their fellow Europeans, and, the law is actually adhered to religiously! It is a rare day you will find smokers lighting up, and, if so, it's usually well after hours and with your permission.
Go to France where I think even the poodles take a drag...

__________________
fmaggi
www.touringtracks.com
http://burntbythetuscansun.blogspot.com

Second hand smoke may not kill you but it's absolutely revolting to have to come home and leave your clothes -- right down to your underwear -- out to air on the balcony for the odors which will never come free.
I for one am glad those days are long gone...(now, if we can just tackle the cigar smokers...)

__________________
fmaggi
www.touringtracks.com
http://burntbythetuscansun.blogspot.com