Tobacco Co. and paintball

[Carbon]

Hypothetical.
for a moment, assume you have a tourney team.

If ALL of your tourney/paintball cost (this includes team practice) were paid by Big Tobacco Would you let them sponsor you?

[Target Practice]

No.

[gc82000]

As long I have the ability to say that no I do not use or endorse the use for minors and Pregnant women. But are you also including markers, packs, pads and masks, room and board, travel and what not in this Sponsorship. I would want a full sponsor, I dont see reason why having them as a sponsor should be a bad thing.

[Echo419]

umm... I would go for this in a heartbeat its not like you have to smoke one ur sponsorship

[FreakBaller12]

umm... I would go for this in a heartbeat its not like you have to smoke one ur sponsorship
Yea but you'll be promoting it to little kids, it will work out like this. Little Timmy sees pro PSP team with tobacco sponsor, he thinks smoking is now cool. He'll start to smoke now and probably get his little friends into it to. You won't be very popular with the parents.
Or you'll be at a local tourny and be advertising it to even more little kids.
I would never accept a tobacco sponsor.

[Lohman446]

With the hypothetical I can be as morally upstanding as everyone else and say no I wouldn't because...

Realistically - if it were offered chances are I would be playing

[Recon by Fire]

YES, not that I love tobacco (I don't smoke) but as far as I can tell it is a legal product and we still have free will. Even 30 years ago you knew smoking was not healthy, we never needed anyone to tell us it was not. (breathing super heated gas into your lungs and choking, how could we have known that was bad?!). Save it....

[etjoyride]

NO, we shouldn't start bringing drugs into paintball

[Lohman446]

NO, we shouldn't start bringing drugs into paintball

Knee jerk simplistic reaction with wording designed for maximum reaction without consideration of what they really mean. What about Bayer Aspirin / Tylenol etc., would you accept a sponsorship from them?

[CrimsonGhost]

Yes.( I do NOT smoke,do drugs of ANY type ...not even tylenol.)
Why not?

If you wouldn't take a tobacco companies $$$ would you take and beer compnies? How about a pharmacutical company?
People are taking dirt naps because of these products as well...and tobacco,booze,perscription drugs ARE LEGAL and so they SHOULD be allowed to be advertised.

Just an example... Budwiser in NASCAR ...is that peomoting drinking and driving?

I LOVE NASCAR by the way.

**And now for the soap box **
We don't mind that there are beer adverts with football,baseball,etc.
Not to mention the ILLEGAL drugs that are so glorified in most modern media.(Pot,LSD,Mushrooms,X ..etc.)
Since steroids are so hot a topic right now ...You may as well be advertising for them .
After all, little Johnny sees that His fave baseball hero uses steroids...He will at least find out more about them.
Tobacco wouldn't be any different in my mind.
We have known it is dangerous for years.
There is enough info out there about how bad it is for you to smoke .
I am not forcing ANYONE to smoke or buy a product.
Little Johnny will see the ad for the product but WILL NEVER see me using it.
So if He wants to try it ..its on HIM and his PARENTS .
If it is "little Johnny" That we are realy worried about.

Or is this another one of those ...My parents don't want to pay attention to what their child is doing things? So we will make a law so that EVERYONE has to suffer.
Yet another "It takes a village to raise a child" feel good ,its everyones fault but the people who had the kids things? (Sorry...cant control the rage on this subject)
There are a bunch of advertised products in pro sports right now that are potentialy bad for you.
Mountain Dew,Coke,Pepsi etc. Can cause cancer in the digestive tract,diabetes, etc.
Fast food chains Like Mc Donalds,BK, Causing Cancer, overwieght,cardio issues.
Yes, I know these examples are if you drink or consume to much of them...but its not unlikely that it would happen.
No more than smoking.

FREE will ...the choice to do what you want without having the GOVT or ANYONE else legislate you doing it.
This nanny govt crap has to stop. :cheers:

Oh and ...Drugs ARE ALREADY in this sport , do NOT kid yourself to think that there aren't.
HELLO !!?!?!?! Stoned Assasins? ( I am not saying whats right and wrong...just stating a FACT about the recreational pharmacuticals in use...OUT IN THE OPEN within this sport)

[athomas]

I couldn't do it. It would go against everything I stand for. How could I tell people that cigarettes are bad while I'm sporting jersey that says smoke our "Brand X".

[Big'n slo]

For free Red Man!

Hells yea

[Indignant]

NO, we shouldn't start bringing drugs into paintball


It's way to late for that one...

[Bear_Claw]

If i was at all intrested in turny i 100% would take that sponsership.

I have never and never wil smoke or do any drugs. And im old enough to go back to when smokeing was considered ok. I made it trough without trying it even with the huge advertisments and even commercials. Why should i worry bout some other kid not doing the same?

One thing in life i leart is ya gotta look out for number 1 as no one else will sooner the little ones learn that the better off in life they will be. Getting free sponsor ship for all gear and travel cost is a great oppertunity even if by a company you dislike.

[Kevmaster]

Big Tobacco Pays (Paid) for my college education...why not let them pay for my paint too?

[TheTramp]

With the hypothetical I can be as morally upstanding as everyone else and say no I wouldn't because...

Realistically - if it were offered chances are I would be playing

I have to say that I agree exactly.

[MarkM]

Just a warning regarding replys to this thread.

Endorsements by personal exp. or alledged observation of illegal drug taking will not be allowed to stay...already this thread is a couple of replies light.

On thread topic. Yes I would taken the sponsorship, since I do smoke freebies would be gratefully taken but in reality probably not offered as part of the sponsorship. I doubt Michael Schumacher smokes Marlboro's or Kimi Raikanen smokes West's.

[Chronobreak]

lol, glad that mark posted that before i posted...

i was gonna give some examples of companies i would take as endorsements :ninja:


anyways, i dont smoke nor endorse smoking so i would say no, but if the chance did come up i would def think about it...

hopefully i could take it and get onto a better form of sponsorship that wasnt promoting smoking to minors(you cant say that they wouldnt be if sponsoring p-ball)

[OneEyedPimp]

I would, simply because of two reasons:

1) They are a coperation, they don't force people to smoke

2)I HATE(With a passion) that truth company.

[mandatory]

I would, simply because of two reasons:

1) They are a coperation, they don't force people to smoke

2)I HATE(With a passion) that truth company.



Id say no. but i do agree with your location tag: san diego= kommievill

[minimag03]

I'd say no. I'm against all forms of tobacco. When a 10 year old kid watches my team win with tobacco jerseys on, what do you think he is going to do. He'll connect winning with tobacco use.

[AGDlover]

a big no over here I've chosen to keep drugs out of my life nomatter what i just dont see a benifit of useing them

[tyrion2323]

I think that there are a lot of considerations to be mindful of.

How prominent of a display would the company be making? Would the team be called the Marlboro men? Or could it be something different? There are so many things to think about before making the decision.

Jacob

[FallNAngel]

I'd say no. I'm against all forms of tobacco. When a 10 year old kid watches my team win with tobacco jerseys on, what do you think he is going to do. He'll connect winning with tobacco use.

Granted little Jimmy is 10 years old in this example... he'd have to really not think things through to think that. I could see that being the case if it were steroids or some other drug that actually gave some "benefit", but what does tobacco really do for you? I mean, it really offers no benefit (quite the opposite) ... so thinking that someone won because they smoke really doesn't really make sense.

This isn't to say he won't want to run out and start smoking so he'd be "cool" like the XYZ team that's sponsored by a tabacco company, but that's a bit different than doing it because he thinks it'll help him win.



Having said that, I would say it depends. Generally with sponsorship comes some sort of stipulations attached. For instance, if you get sponsored by JT, you'll probably have to wear their masks (for instance). What would you be doing for the tabacco company? Smoking their cigarettes? 1. That'd be kind of counterproductive, seeing as how they're detrimental to your health 2. I think that at least a good portion of the smokers would take the sponsorship... if for no other reason than the fact that they already smoke... so why not get "paid" to do it?

[slade]

id say yes... however if it was, say, smart parts, id have to say no. i mean, theres evil, and then theres EVIL. :p sorry i had to say that...

actually i probably would say yes. theres so many anti-smoking ads or campaigns or education that everyone already knows that smoking is bad for you. seriously, no one is going to start smoking because they see some team with a logo on their jersey (which is why such sponsorship has not already happened...) however i would only do the sponsorship if the requirement was for logos/banners/whatever. if it involved actually smoking or publically endorsing their product (as in saying to your fans, "try *insert brand here* cigarettes!") i would say no.

however if it was a beer sponsorship, even though i dont drink id have to say yes. it would just be funny, and i dont think as many people have a problem with drinking as smoking. that and im sure my team would love the sponsorship ;) hopefully they wouldnt be TOO hung over at practice/tourneys...


a big no over here I've chosen to keep drugs out of my life nomatter what i just dont see a benifit of useing them
this has nothing to do with using them. it has to do with sponsorship by the company.

[TMAXXKING1]

For free Red Man!

Hells yea
QFT
a carton is damn pricey





as for my reply to this thread in question

not just because i am a HEAVY smoker

smokeing has been in the public's eye's for a long time

i guess kid's shouldnt watch anything other then blue's clue's and Mr. Rodger's

just think about all the red neck's that are into nascar ..

i guess no more big family function's at the track there kid's might see a car with marlboro or skoal down the side




and i bet if half of you got a sponsor from K-Y you would go and hand out free sample's

at bar's with name's like

the rainbow room
the slippery pickle

just my 2 cent's

[magman007]

yea, i would, no questions asked. I smoke, but i dont endorse it to others to use, but its peoples choice. Also, how tight would marlboro jersies or camel jersies look? they have the shnazziest lookin race cars all the time. What about beer companies? heck, MO.com at IAO almost got sponsored by yeungling.

[minimag03]

Granted little Jimmy is 10 years old in this example... he'd have to really not think things through to think that. I could see that being the case if it were steroids or some other drug that actually gave some "benefit", but what does tobacco really do for you? I mean, it really offers no benefit (quite the opposite) ... so thinking that someone won because they smoke really doesn't really make sense.

This isn't to say he won't want to run out and start smoking so he'd be "cool" like the XYZ team that's sponsored by a tabacco company, but that's a bit different than doing it because he thinks it'll help him win.

Kids look look for hero, idol, or whatever you want to call it. If the person who they look up to is wearing a jersey with Marlboro written all over it, do you think he isn't going to be influenced by that? Yes, he will be. He will think it's cool to use Marlboro, because XYZ team does use it.

[Lohman446]

Kids look look for hero, idol, or whatever you want to call it. If the person who they look up to is wearing a jersey with Marlboro written all over it, do you think he isn't going to be influenced by that? Yes, he will be. He will think it's cool to use Marlboro, because XYZ team does use it.

And if he looks at someone, makes a decision something is cool just because its on a sign, and then does something that he has tons of information on about the effects on just because he thinks its cool he's almost as idiotic as the people who are vehemently anti-smoking because they think its a way to be cool too :D

Note: Of course there are other reasons, but it seems to me a lot of people are against smoking because they think theres a "coolness" to blindly following what the commercials tell them

[AGDlover]

this has nothing to do with using them. it has to do with sponsorship by the company.

Yes and i realise that but even that i dont want to be affilated(sp) with and drug indistruys as well it just doesnt push a positive attitude

[Rather]

Knee jerk simplistic reaction with wording designed for maximum reaction without consideration of what they really mean. What about Bayer Aspirin / Tylenol etc., would you accept a sponsorship from them?

I'm holding out for enzyte. :) :)

[minimag03]

And if he looks at someone, makes a decision something is cool just because its on a sign, and then does something that he has tons of information on about the effects on just because he thinks its cool he's almost as idiotic as the people who are vehemently anti-smoking because they think its a way to be cool too :D

That "someone" isn't just a normal person to him. That someone is the person he wants to be like. And yes, he will do it if the advertisement makes and impact on him (keep in mind that kids his age are considerably impressionable). I'm sure by his age parents, teachers, siblings, and mentors have told him the effext of use tobacco products. However, does this stop a huge amount of children all over the world from using them? Nope, it doesn't.

[RingOfScale]

I would do it, but I dont/wont smoke personally. I'd take their logo or whatever, but I dont think the logo alone would do it. If people saw you personally smoking in combination with the logos, it might convince some people, but if you were wearing the logos and didnt believe in it, and no one ever saw you smoking personally, I dont think that many people would be convinced.

-rIng

[cdacda13]

Yes, playing for free would be worth it.

[slade]

That "someone" isn't just a normal person to him. That someone is the person he wants to be like. And yes, he will do it if the advertisement makes and impact on him (keep in mind that kids his age are considerably impressionable). I'm sure by his age parents, teachers, siblings, and mentors have told him the effext of use tobacco products. However, does this stop a huge amount of children all over the world from using them? Nope, it doesn't.
im willing to bet the vast majority of kids who start smoking do so because of someone they know personally. not some celebrity. i really dont see any 10+ year old saying "oh my god, that player has a marlboro patch on his jersey! ive gotta be cool like him and start smoking!!"

[behemoth]

Comon, are kids that retarded?

What could possibly be SO COOL that you'd wanna smoke?

"Look Johnny, Tim's getting laid because he smokes like a chimney!"

No.

[AGDlover]

Comon, are kids that retarded?
"Look Johnny, Tim's getting laid because he smokes like a chimney!"
.


LMFAO :rofl:

[minimag03]

The bottomline is that teams are role models to a lot of kids. Do you want your kids role model to support tobacco companys? Would you as a parent think "It's ok for my child to look up to them even though that could influence them to use tobacco."

[behemoth]

if the kid is influenced by someone with "Marlboro" on thier jersey, they deserve cancer.

I mean, what the hell? If my hero's wore "SMOKE CRACK KIDDIES!" on their jerseys, i wouldnt go smoke crack.

[CodeMA]

I see no problem with it.... Parents dont like it? Tell your kids not to smoke, threaten them, blah blah blah..... Its not the general public, big goverment, or the millitary to raise your kids, its out there, there going to have to deal with it at some point..... stop relying on a few groups to say there bad and do it yourself in fasion thats actualy going to matter


Yes... I would happly accept cash from a Tabacco company, I dont smoke regularly, I get enough second hand from family and friends.... Its a personal choice and as long as your not breathing your loved carbon minoxide into some poor old ladies(used as an example) face causeing her due stress or some pregnant chick... who cares? Be responsible.... Same goes for useing ANY brand of paintball equipment, car, etc.....deal with it people

To add.... Any truely corp. sponsors is a big step IMO into "legitimizeing" paintball.... The Xbox and Bawls bunkers are a step also....on that note...Bawls would be an ideal sponsor too :P


Well Idolized paintball folk arnt the most savery people in the world..... Tabacco would be a rather positive choice compared to actualy partakeing in activties indorced by some of the top followed players currently...


Enough ranting... bottem line...dont worry about kids, its not our job... its there parents..... Be responsible and there are no woes...

[peewee]

I voted no, but in truth I'd love to get money out of "big tobacco," maybe a little pay back for me & my family having to watch my Dad starve to death due to throat & stomach cancer caused by smoking. It sucks that my kids don't know my Dad, the oldest had a few years but my youngest was about ten months old. Personally I despise smoking & I was a smoker for ten plus years. I can't condone its use & don't want it advertised where my kids are participating in sporting events. Someone stated that they dislike the truth company, I can't understand why. Sounds like ignorant bravado to me.
In regard to other drug companies I gotta ask when was the last time Aleve or Tylenol killed someone & how many? Its funny other drugs like bextra & phen phen get pulled off the market after one maybe two people die, shouldn't tobacco?

[Lohman446]

The bottomline is that teams are role models to a lot of kids. Do you want your kids role model to support tobacco companys? Would you as a parent think "It's ok for my child to look up to them even though that could influence them to use tobacco."


You're argument gets weaker and weaker the more you attempt to defend it or elaborate. While it may be a wonderful personal choice what you are now insinuating is that all role models should be perfectly acceptable to every parent. And yes, it is ok for a child to look up to someone even though there are flaws in them - as long as the child is well educated on the effects of decisions they made. And yes, children are very well educated, judging by todays ad campaigns if children are as gullible as you make out, they must think that the cigs are hidden so that they don't look at them, because looking at them can cause death...

[hitech]

And if he looks at someone, makes a decision something is cool just because it's on a sign...

In most teenagers the pressure to fit in is almost overwhelming. Add to that the belief that they are invincible and what's to stop them from trying it?

[Lohman446]

In most teenagers the pressure to fit in is almost overwhelming. Add to that the belief that they are invincible and what's to stop them from trying it?

Look at the responses of teenagers on this board - is smoking or being vehemently opposed to smoking the pressure they are under today?

Edit: For the record, as long as it is legal, I could care less if they try it. If they are illegally obtaining it, and I realize they are, than there are other things to look into that are not advertising related, such as who is breaking the law allowing them to obtain it.

[hitech]

...is smoking or being vehemently opposed to smoking the pressure they are under today?


Well, I don't really know. It's peer pressure that counts the most, by far. None of my peers are teenagers anymore... :rofl:

:cheers:

[Lohman446]

Well, I don't really know. It's peer pressure that counts the most, by far. None of my peers are teenagers anymore... :rofl:

:cheers:


Yeh... my peers tend to get me into a lot more trouble and expense than tobacco :D Teenage peers would be cheap comparatively

[Automaggot68]

Yes, I would.
I would play plaintball, and I wouldn't worry about paying for it anymore, if I was given a free ride.
I would wear their patch or emblem/logo on my arm, my back or chest.
Would it be bigger than my Logic Paintball Logo? my AGD logo?
No, it wouldn't.
I dont care who pays for me to play.
Saying the above is going to leave it pretty open, and I really dont care.
If I was required to get people to smoke, give out cigs, it's be a comepletely different story. I woudln't do that--I'm not a total whore.
What they do is none of my concern, I live with a smoker, I've lived with a smoker my entire life thus far.
I was once a smoker. Did I like it?
It got old, fast.
Look at those NASCAR races, do people ALWAYs think, OMG SMOKES ANDBREWDIZOGGS!? when you say Nascar?
I think of fast cars.
I have no idea where this was leading.

I'll leave it with what TMAXXKING was saying,
---Thats life kiddies.

[slade]

You're argument gets weaker and weaker the more you attempt to defend it or elaborate. While it may be a wonderful personal choice what you are now insinuating is that all role models should be perfectly acceptable to every parent. And yes, it is ok for a child to look up to someone even though there are flaws in them - as long as the child is well educated on the effects of decisions they made. And yes, children are very well educated, judging by todays ad campaigns if children are as gullible as you make out, they must think that the cigs are hidden so that they don't look at them, because looking at them can cause death...
exactly. a person doesnt have to be perfect and have every attribute of them be acceptable for them to be a role model. if a kid looks up to a professional paintballer they are going to look at them as a paintballer instead of trying to mimic their every move. a kid should be smart enough to know what is good about someone, and what is not.

Martin Luther King cheated on his wife. how many thousands of 6-10 year old children have been told that he is a wonderful person and to look up to and respect him? will every child think that cheating on your wife/husband is the right thing to do?


In most teenagers the pressure to fit in is almost overwhelming. Add to that the belief that they are invincible and what's to stop them from trying it?
i laughed.

my friends range from a girl who calls her mom at a party to tell her that there is alcohol there, and to ask if she should leave or stay, to a drug dealer, to a girl who has tried just about every drug i could think of besides LSD, and lost her virginity when she was 12 or 13. there is no pressure whatsoever to conform or fit in with them. i dont care what they choose, they dont care what i choose.

*looks at watch* 40 minutes ago i had a short conversation with a friend of a friend, who i saw in the hall.
him: do you have a cellphone?
me: yeah, here
him: thanks... do you have a cigarette by any chance?
me: no, sorry.
him: you dont smoke?
me: no
him: cool. damn it! i really want a cigarette.


and... whats this about teenagers thinking they are invincible??


oh, and by the way... the drug dealer i mentioned, tells everyone who doesnt do drugs yet to not try them.

[Target Practice]

oh, and by the way... the drug dealer i mentioned, tells everyone who doesnt do drugs yet to not try them.

Gee, then maybe that worthless bastard shouldn't peddle the damn things, now should he?

[fcpchop]

Yea but you'll be promoting it to little kids, it will work out like this. Little Timmy sees pro PSP team with tobacco sponsor, he thinks smoking is now cool. He'll start to smoke now and probably get his little friends into it to. You won't be very popular with the parents.
Or you'll be at a local tourny and be advertising it to even more little kids.
I would never accept a tobacco sponsor.

Ok now thats a load of crap. Growing up as a young kid I saw many many tobacco ads. So what everyone sees them. I saw them all over the place and if I saw them at a paintball tourny it would still make no difference. I don't smoke and never will smoke tabacoo. Kids aren't stupid, just because Timmy sees the ad on a pro team doesn't mean he will try it. He would be smart about it, and besides by now hes got so much anti-tobacco stuff jamed down his throat it won't even matter. So don't make stupid assumptions about how kids see things and use it for your argument. Fact of the matter is it is a legal substance... so why not let them sponser you? Just seeing an ad won't kill anyone, and probably won't persuade them to smoke either. And if they do, it's their free choice to do so. If it kills them, they killed themself, Tobacco didn't.

[slade]

Gee, then maybe that worthless bastard shouldn't peddle the damn things, now should he?
did i say he should be?

and btw im using the word friend loosely, he was more of a friend of a lot of my friends, i talked to him sometimes, but also i havent seen him for a while since he got kicked out of our school.

[punkncat]

Yes

I would love for anyone to completly cover my paintball expenses. A Marlboro team outfit would be tight as hell too!!

We have sponsorships. Basically we have quite a few local buisnesses that pitch into the team fund. I don't know them on a personal basis, and really couldn't say what kind of people they are, whether they run a good buisiness or whether they are crooks. (if any of you are reading this, y'all are all GREAT...lol) By playing with their name on our banner means they are donating "considerations" towards our ability to play as a competitive team. It doesn't mean that we specifically back them so to speak, but we are an avenue of advertisement for them. In that respect I suppose we support them?

Meh, aside from all the political crap associated with the subject of tobacco, or any other "drug"...I agree with what has already been said. Don't be a sheep and follow your own freewill. Someone, ANYONE that would like to support my worse than drugs addiction to paintball is welcome. I would slap on a Tampax logo if they were footing the bill, and I would be playing with a big smile.

[slade]

I would slap on a Tampax logo if they were footing the bill, and I would be playing with a big smile.
that is awesome. it is now my goal to get sponsored by tampax. :ninja:

(please dont kick me off the team for that guys... :( )

[etjoyride]

Knee jerk simplistic reaction with wording designed for maximum reaction without consideration of what they really mean. What about Bayer Aspirin / Tylenol etc., would you accept a sponsorship from them?

I should have made myself clear. When you take a sponsorship from a tobacco company (or any other drug that is not legal for some people to take this doesnt include tylenol, asprin, etc.) then young children will see it and even if they dont realize it, they may start smoking just because thats what the pro's use.

You take sponsorship
sponsors stick their names in big letters on your gear
young kids see this gear
young kids start using what the see the pro's using

(not sur eif this made a whole lot of sense, if not please just ignore it)

[Cameo]

I bounced back and forth on this one while I was reading other's posts..... I am leaning more twards the "no" just because I have kids and I would want to keep the good example for them. Also I do no play enough paintball for it to be a hinderance finacially. It is a great sport, but there are other things in life.
I think having seen so many people at the Cancer Center who are there because of the choices they made in thier lives has something to do with my "no". It is sad to watch these people suffer for something that once brought them "comfort", or just one hit will calm thier nerves...It is a bit upsetting. I am getting off topic..
There is a fine line between morlas and personl preferances. I have not yet discovered mine.

[CodeMA]

lung canser eh? thats teh sux... but lets not blame the smokes.... and if you do.... you better live in a bubble for the rest of your life, dont drive, stay off the roads all togeather in any form of modern transportation....

Untill we have some perfect, fool poof mode of transportation that doesnt allow accdents to happen... There will be more deaths caused by car/transportation accdents then from smoke inhalation indused canser.....

Like I said, dont like it? Dont get near the roads in any vehical if your that worried about a personal choice killing you...dont smoke.... dont let your kids smoke, punish them if they do untill there of age in a manner you see fit as you would if say, they were doing something a little more illegal such as pot.... Then let them make there choices for themselves.....

Worry about yourself and those your directly responsible for....if you cant be for them you have no right to try and control the masses who have every right to smoke as long as there not forceing it down some old ladie or infants nasel passages....


Again, Im not a big smoker, or a fan of it the "pack a day" crowd, its a waste of cash to me...and I really dont have time for it..... I do enjoy the occational bummed cig or a good cigar...but its a rare thing....... BUT I will advocate to the end it is there choice...not yours and not big goverments.....

Take the money as if it were any other company and be happy.... As long as your responsible it doesnt matter

[Carbon]

Interesting comments ya'll. Keep it up.

[OneEyedPimp]

I voted no, but in truth I'd love to get money out of "big tobacco," maybe a little pay back for me & my family having to watch my Dad starve to death due to throat & stomach cancer caused by smoking. It sucks that my kids don't know my Dad, the oldest had a few years but my youngest was about ten months old. Personally I despise smoking & I was a smoker for ten plus years. I can't condone its use & don't want it advertised where my kids are participating in sporting events. Someone stated that they dislike the truth company, I can't understand why. Sounds like ignorant bravado to me.
In regard to other drug companies I gotta ask when was the last time Aleve or Tylenol killed someone & how many? Its funny other drugs like bextra & phen phen get pulled off the market after one maybe two people die, shouldn't tobacco?

No. It is a choice, I mean, I fell bad for your father and all, but he made a choice. It is the same a drinking. How many does drinking and driving kill a year? Do we want to outlaw beer? It is the same thing, outlawing beer will not get rid of drunk driving, nor will outlawing smoking stop cancer.

[ultralight]

I'm holding out for enzyte. :) :)


the whole team would have to use 16" Stiffis. what a sponsorship combination.


on topic:

yes, i would. even though i am in the process of trying to get my dad to give it up (for the second time in his life).

i would even start playing tournament ball in order to take a sponsorship from a tobacco company. why? free money. and besides, do the marlboro and budweiser ads on racecars upset you? the fact that many children who idolize those drivers are being marketed tobacco alcohol? i can't really speak for the rest of the country but i personally can't remember who is sponsored by what company, and i don't really care. when i watch hockey, i'm not interested in the ads plastered on the boards, i'm watching the game. (had to throw in the hockey thing because i'm excited that it's back and i don't watch racing.)

in fact, i think that i would be more offended if i were approached by a soft drink company or major fast food chain. they are the real danger to little kiddies. same goes for videogame manufacturers. you combine those three giant industries with our kid's and the general lack of good firm parenting that this country seems to be experiencing and what do you get? you get fat kids who later in life will be at serious risk for diabetes, heart related illness, gastrointestinal problems, joint problems, morbid obesity, comlpete and utter rejection by the opposite sex, and the embasrrassment of having to be removed from your own home with a surgical forklift. with the staggeringly idiotic ammounts of high fructose corn syrup and cholesterol that kids are getting from soft drinks and fast food coupled with the fact that many of them just sit around and play videogames, i'd say that smoking is the least of their problems.

oh, and Truth is actually funded primarily by big tobacco as the result of a lawsuit. to the best of my knowledge.

now let me tell you how i really feel...

tobacco doesn't kill people, people kill themselves with tobacco.
mcdonalds doesn't make america's youth fat, they eat themselves to death.
xbox will not make you a sloth, you have to willingly play.

while trying to restrict the product may be partially effective in reducing it's use, or misuse. that is the easy (wrong) way to go about it. we can't just shelter our kids from the world and hope for the best once we boot them out into it. we need to educate them about the dangers of this world so that they know enough to make the right decisions on their own.


" Censorship, like charity should start in the home. But unlike charity, it should end there." - ???

well, it was sort of on topic for a little while.

[Carbon]

Just understand that advertising has compounding effect, especially over time. And this is in fact magnfied in a niche environment. Consider a child sees x product advertised for a span of 9 years, that is 16 to 24 years old. I would say 6 or 7 of those years comprise of some of the most impressionable years in a childs life.

You have to factor that a niche activity like paintball is focused at a youth group, and the outlet of this advertising is very limited to mostly a handfull of magazines and pictures on the internet. As limited as the media outlets are, currently, these are an optimal medium for presentation.

You do remember when you were a yougin' dont you, how impressionable and open to suggestion you were?

[Lohman446]

I should have made myself clear. When you take a sponsorship from a tobacco company (or any other drug that is not legal for some people to take this doesnt include tylenol, asprin, etc.) then young children will see it and even if they dont realize it, they may start smoking just because thats what the pro's use.

You take sponsorship
sponsors stick their names in big letters on your gear
young kids see this gear
young kids start using what the see the pro's using

(not sur eif this made a whole lot of sense, if not please just ignore it)

How? Its not legal for them to smoke, regardless of if they want to or not. If they do start smoking we need to look at how they are breaking the law rather than why.

[TheTramp]

I think the point is more: Why encourage them to break the law thus giving society more work enforcing it?

[Lohman446]

I think the point is more: Why encourage them to break the law thus giving society more work enforcing it?

Because.. its not my job to make decisions for them, nor is me wearing something from a tobacco company forcing them to smoke. I would like to think that young Americans today are not that stupid or weak willed.

[TheTramp]

I would like to think that young Americans today are not that stupid or weak willed.

But you know that that isn't true.

It will be your/our problem when tax dollars pay for the concequences of that encouragment.

On the other hand the same could be said for a beer sponsorship and I tried contacting Guinness for one....still haven't heard back though :( ;)

[Lohman446]

But you know that that isn't true.

It will be your/our problem when tax dollars pay for the concequences of that encouragment.

On the other hand the same could be said for a beer sponsorship and I tried contacting Guinness for one....still haven't heard back though :( ;)


LMAO - my team captain has contacted Budweiser actually... :D

[slade]

I should have made myself clear. When you take a sponsorship from a tobacco company (or any other drug that is not legal for some people to take this doesnt include tylenol, asprin, etc.) then young children will see it and even if they dont realize it, they may start smoking just because thats what the pro's use.

You take sponsorship
sponsors stick their names in big letters on your gear
young kids see this gear
young kids start using what the see the pro's using
i dont buy it. of course sponsorship makes sense inside the industry. a young paintballer sees a pro team using a timmy or dm4, and he associates that marker with his success... rightly so. the marker certainly does make a difference. im sure if the same kid saw a sponsored team using talons, he wouldnt associate their winning with talons. if anything, he would just respect the team for rolling everyone with a $20 plastic pump. kids arent idiots, they can make judgements. a kid will realize what a sponsorship is, and will associate what is involved in success, such as equipment, with their success. no kid is stupid enough to think a team wins games because they smoke.

the only thing outside industry sponsorship will do is aid in name recognition. if a kid chooses to smoke, he may choose marlboro due to the name recognition from seeing it advertized so much as opposed to, say... damn, i cant think of any other brands, ive seen marlboro advertized so much ;) get my point?

the same thing happens with inside the industry sponsorship too on a certain level. along with associating a marker with a team's success, a kid may recall seeing a brand name somewhere - in a banner, on a sticker, or recall seeing the marker itself, and therefore purchase that product instead of one whos name they have never heard before. there are multiple reasons for sponsorship.

for the same reason, when a large company like a car company buys up other companies, they often keep the brand names alive. assimilating to a single brand name will destroy the name recognition, and following.


in fact, i think that i would be more offended if i were approached by a soft drink company or major fast food chain. they are the real danger to little kiddies. same goes for videogame manufacturers. you combine those three giant industries with our kid's and the general lack of good firm parenting that this country seems to be experiencing and what do you get? you get fat kids who later in life will be at serious risk for diabetes, heart related illness, gastrointestinal problems, joint problems, morbid obesity, comlpete and utter rejection by the opposite sex, and the embasrrassment of having to be removed from your own home with a surgical forklift. with the staggeringly idiotic ammounts of high fructose corn syrup and cholesterol that kids are getting from soft drinks and fast food coupled with the fact that many of them just sit around and play videogames, i'd say that smoking is the least of their problems.
i understand soft drinks and fast food chains, but why pick on videogames? videogames have been proven to aid greatly in logical thinking and helps students in school. researchers have found it hard to find a child good at videogames and bad at school. and i know plenty of kids that love videogames and yet are still very active and in shape. if i were to pick on something which makes kids less active, i would choose TV since it has no redeeming qualities that i know of. or, actually homework... although that does have some redeeming qualities it still limits free time and thus activity.

btw, i havent played a video game for about a year. well, with the exception of halo when my cousin wanted to play with me.

[siloseven]

this is defonatly a good topic; kudos.

I am a soon to be former smoker and agree with most every one here. if they want to spot every thing assuming they do not tell me what to do, and I have full right to tell why I quit and why it was not a good idea. I am good to go.

and like someone said about the kids. I am not sure it is 100% correct to say the kids will see a PSP/NPPL/ what ever team with a big tobacco sponcer will think it is cool. I know a few "pro"players that do not have a tobacco sponcer ad they smoke heavly at every tourni. whats the differeance? and my big thing is, at some point PARENTS have to take full responcability for what they have created and teach them about the world and its up and downs ect.

[Chris_automag_07]

i would not, simply for the reason that younger or newer players look up to and sometimes even respect the older more experienced players(even if it takes a couple of games) but the point is they think we are cool and try to immitate us, and if you have tobacco brands stamped all over your gear kids are gonna start to think "hhmmm smoking must be cool" and that doesnt exacty take the sport in the right direction(no offense to the smokers in the group)
but i dont believe that tobacco products could possibly improve your level of play. and i dont think that it is a good vibe to be sending out to younger players or newbs if you may.

thats all, disagree if you like.

[SIGSays]

i would... if cigs were included.. haha.. but i mean little kids? they know the law.. 18...

[68magOwner]

absolutely (no, i dont smoke, nor does anyone else on the team, so, not gonna be reppin their product well), but, hey, if everythign is free, ids do it

[Cameo]

lung canser eh? thats teh sux... but lets not blame the smokes.... and if you do.... you better live in a bubble for the rest of your life, dont drive, stay off the roads all togeather in any form of modern transportation....

Untill we have some perfect, fool poof mode of transportation that doesnt allow accdents to happen... There will be more deaths caused by car/transportation accdents then from smoke inhalation indused canser.....


i don't have lung cancer no... Totally different kind all together... But i see so many when I am at the center.. it just saddnes me.. they keep coughing and coughing and seem so miserable.

[Carbon]

Let me reiterrate. As we all know that children in general do not have the mental facilities to make the right decisions, simply because, well...they cant. Their brains have not fully developed yet.

Just understand that advertising has compounding effect, especially over time. And this is in fact magnfied in a niche environment. Consider a child sees x product advertised for a span of 9 years, that is 16 to 24 years old. I would say 6 or 7 of those years comprise of some of the most impressionable years in a childs life.

You have to factor that a niche activity like paintball is focused at a youth group, and the outlet of this advertising is very limited to mostly a handfull of magazines and pictures on the internet. As limited as the media outlets are, currently, these are an optimal medium for presentation.

I hope most of you recognize that this is more of an ethical question than one of technical legal statutes.

[Chris_automag_07]

Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Mechanicsburg
Posts: 3,091
Send a message via AIM to SIGSays
i would... if cigs were included.. haha.. but i mean little kids? they know the law.. 18..


yeah cause lids always care about the law dont they.........oh wait a second, looking "cool"
is more important isnt it. :tard:

[xmetal2001]

If they want to spend money to let me play paintball, I have no problem with that at all...

Besides, let's be honest, how many people are going to take up smoking because they saw a little logo on my jersey.

[athomas]

As was mentioned before, its brand and product recognition. If there were no advertisements allowed for a product, then it isn't in the public eye and becomes less recognizable to the general consumer. Out of sight, out of mind. Any advertisement for a product or brand gives credibility for that product. Is it right for us to give credibility to a dangerous and addictive product?