Originally Posted by
Dovster
What they might not know, however, is the number of non health related problems they will face if they start smoking.
Should they go to this proposed forum, they will learn about them.
Yes, teen smokers, who may have just taken up this addiction, or may have tried a couple cigarettes and not decided on their path forward, will surely want to know about where in airports and hotels they can smoke. The message should be that they shouldn't start smoking at all and we should not encourage them to access a forum without some type of warning. FT and Internet Brands should take a proactive stance to discourage teen smoking. 9 of 10 smokers have their first smoking experience before 18. 480,000 Americans die each year from smoking related health issues. The demographic we should be sending a message to is those under 18 thinking about smoking, and the message shouldn't be "here's where you can smoke". It should be a strongly worded message such as the Surgeon General's messages right in the forum description, and maybe even at the top of the forum wiki once it's established.
If the Surgeon General's warning is posted at the entry point to that forum, FT can show in a very limited capacity that we care about the deadly path teen smokers will be heading once they decide to smoke.
When I see members say it's no different than Traveling with Pets, or the Religious Travelers forum, I ask myself whether 480,000 Americans have died due to Travel with Pets or in search of religious sites, or whether the CDC has issued warning about pets or religion. Can't find anything. Smoking, on the other hand, they're very clear about. We need to do what we can to deter teen smoking.