The Most Compelling Anti-Smoking Ad Ever Imagines A Horrible World Without Cats

We thought we'd heard every anti-smoking argument back in middle school, but we just learned a new one that tops them all: Cats and dogs whose humans smoke have double the chance of getting cancer. And if their owners smoke over a pack a day, cats' risk for lymphoma triples. According to a new U.S. Food & Drug Administration advisory, secondhand smoke isn't just a risk for people. Pets can get it, too. And it may be even worse for them, since they don't just breathe it in — they can lick the tobacco that accumulates on their fur, furniture, and household objects. "If 58 million non-smoking adults and children are exposed to tobacco smoke, imagine how many pets are exposed at the same time," Food and Drug Administration (FDA) veterinarian Carmela Stamper, D.V. M., said in the advisory. This video by truthorange drives this point home by imagining "Catmageddon," a world without cats. Our homes would feel empty, and so would the whole internet. Obviously, knowing all this doesn't make quitting smoking less difficult. But perhaps if we learned this in health class, it could stop people from starting.