Posted by Alex Johnson on September 7, 200817 CommentsPrinter Friendly
Sometimes I get asked if I think organic certification and labeling laws have gone too far. Personally, I don’t think so. As a consumer I’m pretty happy knowing that anything I purchase – believing it to be organic – is in fact organic! I am of the firm belief that this can only come about through a robust third party certification system such as the one that’s currently in place. Perhaps you feel the same?
How do you react then when you hear about a company that’s been caught trying to fraudulently pass off their wares as organic? If you’re anything like me, you’re unimpressed. You may even feel somewhat disgusted. After all, this sort of behavior undermines the entire organic certification system. Perhaps worst of all, it plants seeds of doubt in the minds of would-be organic consumers. This ruins things for all of us.
So what sort of reaction would you have if a company were trying to pass off a cigarette as “organic”? Don’t laugh – I’m serious! Think about that for a minute – an organic cigarette…
A court in Germany wanted nothing to do with it.
U.S. company, Reynolds American Inc. (RAI), argued that its cigarettes were made with “100% organic tobacco” and biodegradable paper filters and therefore complied with European Union rules for organic production.
The German court didn’t accept that. Instead, they were of the view that “the concept ‘organic’ implies that such a cigarette is not harmful”. They found that the company’s use of the term “organic” was in violation of national tobacco and business competition laws.
I tend to agree. What do you think?
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It’s making a mockery of what “organic” means. It’s like a bad joke.
what abut Amercian spirit organc? its also 100% organic. and an absolute joke
Alex / Dale – what is wrong with 100% organic tobacco. Surely it has to be better than non-organic tobacco.
I can see your pov because I dont like smoking or cigarette companies either but it must be a step in the right direction.
Ellie
Anything that creates personal harm (such as tobacco and cigarettes) should not be confused by endorsing it with an organic label. Its misleading at best. I’m a nurse and I get to see first hand what smoking does. Many patients come in but never leave hospital as a direct result of having smoked for twenty or thirty years. How can anyone suggest that a cigarette could be organic is quite beyond me. I think it’s appalling.
Good discussion! Ellie – you raise a very valid point, but even if it’s technically possible to produce a tobacco crop without pesticides and other chemicals, is the production of an organic cigarette in keeping with the “spirit” of the organic concept or framework?
Ciao, Tony
This points out once again how valuable certified standards would be for helping consumers avoid greenwashing – and for making companies accountable for their marketing claims. There’s no way a reputable scientific body would certify tobacco, even if the plant leaves are grown organically!
I agree with you. The very idea of organic tobacco leaves a bad taste in my mouth. This company should not be allowed to associate itself with the organic industry and the fine producers this country has.
I don’t see why everyone is so outraged over this. Any plant can and should grown organically, regardless of its toxicity (consider Lobelia).
In my opinion, if your going to smoke, organic tobacco would definately be a better choice. I know that when I make a herbal smoke, I always prefer organic herbs.
Also, I remember reading an article that suggested cigarettes caused cancer because of its radioactivity due to the build up of pesticides and fertilizers in the soil. I assume addatives also contribute to health problems and increase its addictiveness.
The best choice would be to grow your own tobacco. This way you know its organic and addative free. I have read tobacco powder can be used as a natural pesticide for your tobacco plants.
As a smoker who has had a recent bought of throat cancer I feel compelled to chime in.
I had been smoking discount smokes for a few years before the lump started. After being out of town for a few weeks, I had been smoking a higher end charcoal filter brand and within a few days it started going away. I asked my doctor and after rolling his eyes at me he told me he was not going discuss the issue. ‘Quit’, he said.
As I am not interested in quiting I guess I will have to take care of my self. I am pleased to say that after several months of smoking a brand that is sold by local natives here in Ontario, I am happy to say that the lump is gone and I feel fine!
I know a lot of you find this hard to handle, but think about it. Perhaps smoking tobacco(a natural product) is not as harmful as smoking cigarettes(chemicals, including fungicide, pesticeide and artificial flavors).
For those who think that Organic should olny be used on ‘Healthful’ products then what about;
Chocolate
Coffee
Beer
Wine
Beef
…….
I hope you all get a handle on your hippocritic ideals.
Organic means the product was grown with no unnatural fertilizers or pesticides. In no way, shape, or form does the term organic mean “healthy” or “good for you”. Just because some things grown organically are better for you does not mean that the term organic gets a new definition.
[...] Full Story Link [...]
AMERICAN SPIRITS: MADE “WITH” 100% ORGANIC TOBACCO…. KEYWORD… “WITH” DOESN’T MEAN 100% OF THE CIGARETTE IS 100% ORGANIC…. IT JUST MEANS THAT THE CIGARETTE CONTAINS 100% ORGANIC PRODUCT WITHIN….ALONG WITH CHEMICALS…. GET IT… NOW THINK ABOUT THAT
I find that consumption of an organic cigarette does cause me to smoke less and have less cravings. I do not know if it is because there are less addictive chemicals or whether it has to do with my thought processes. It is something to consider. Less smoking has to be better than more smoking.
While you’re protecting your very own special and presently erroneous definition of a word under the false flag of protecting the concept of organic produce, you’re helping to ensure that millions of people ingest non-organic tobacco, which will surely be laced with who-knows-what chemicals, and surely contribute to their early deaths, Well done, you’ve guided people *away* from organic produce. Funny, that’s not what the domain name made me think you were here for!
Of course, as most ignorant and easily led people do, you’ve implied that smoking tobacco is inherently harmful, regardless of what else you smoke with it and how much of it you smoke. Let’s spray arsenic and throw chunks of gunpowder and chemical gag suppressants and such on your potatoes, make you eat them in massive quantities due to emotional stress, and see how your bowels do. You already know the detriments of non-organic food growth, so why is it so hard for you to translate the same logic to cigarettes?
This is not to say that they would certainly be completely harmless cigarettes no matter how many you smoke, but I imagine that removing all those lovely chemicals can’t do much harm, and I’m sure you’d agree on that. Of course, all we can do is imagine, because close-minded and uneducated egotists like you and this German Court’s operators make very sure that there is no opportunity to find out. Refer to the FDA’s treatment of Natural American Spirit – they were forced to apply additional warnings stating that organic additive free tobacco is equally harmful to ordinary cigarettes – despite there being no research on the matter, and all sensible logic (such as that which supports the use of organic produce elsewhere) dictating otherwise.
If you’re going to be the “organic guide” I suggest you learn a little more about it yourself before you lead a bunch of people down the garden path – and not in the good way. Your logic and execution are flawed, but your intentions are good and I applaud your efforts.
Anon – Thanks for your comment. I respect your point of view, even if our opinions diverge.
As a society we’ve been trying to dissuade young people from taking up smoking as a habit for at least the past twenty years. Given the associated severe and adverse health consequences, I’m sure you’ll agree that there are sound reasons for doing so.
Like it or not, there is a significant — and important — marketing aspect to use of the term “organic”. Rightly or wrongly the “organic” brand has, in the minds of many consumers, become associated with broader concepts such as health and well-being.
By adopting a form over substance approach to this issue there exists real potential for the underlying value in the organic brand to be eroded.
You’re obviously passionate and knowledgeable about organic tobacco and, to the extent you’d like an opportunity to articulate your views more formally, I’d be more than happy for you to air your views in a guest post.
Many people are not aware that it is actually the pesticides and chemicals which are sprayed onto tobacco that are linked to cancer, not the tobacco itself. There is one particular pesticide sprayed onto tobacco that is converted to a radioactive compound polonium by the sun’s UV rays. Radioactive compounds (as we all know) are VERY carcinogenic. Before this pesticide was sprayed onto tobacco (pre 1940) the incidence of lung cancer was very low, almost unheard of. The reason this pesticide is still sprayed onto tobacco crops, is the same reason pesticides are sprayed onto any crop… increased crop production, it’s as simple as supply and demand, and an enormous amount of money too. We may be waiting for another 50 years before no one smokes cigarettes, and in the meantime how many will die? Organic cigarettes should not be laughed at, if we can make something safer for all (smokers and non-smokers) then why aren’t we embracing the idea?
It seems that you are trying to attach a meaning to the word ‘organic’ that doesn’t belong there. To think that ‘organic’ equates to ’safe’ is just silly. There are hundreds of ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ compounds produced by nature that are far from safe.
Are organic cigarettes ’safer’ than non-organic? Absolutely. Are any cigarettes safe? Absolutely not. Still, as a long term smoker and avid naturalist, I’m thankful that I have the option of a cigarette without all the added chemicals.