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Photos really catch the readers' attention and I've had complaints in the past about too many negative photos on vaccination stories. Readers will write in and complain if they see some crying babies, wailing toddlers or a needle jabbing an upper arm.

Their concern, as one told me, is that it could feed into a hesitation parents have to get their children inoculated, even though a specialist I spoke with sees no evidence of that. Also The Globe's photo editors use at least as many generic vaccination photos without crying children as they do with those kids.

Here's a link to a blog I wrote about that issue more than 18 months ago.

But this was a new one. A reader wrote to health columnist André Picard about what he saw as a negative photo (see above) with a column titled: Let's take bolder steps to stamp out smoking. It was a strong opinion column advocating moves to eradicate the use of tobacco and the diseases they cause.

The reader found the photo above irritating. "The photograph of the young deadbeat guy having a drag is typical negative visual manipulation. I personally know very respectable looking people of both sexes who smoke. Why not use a photo of that type of Canadian taxpayer?"

I'm not sure I see the photo in the same light. Yes it is a young man with 5 o'clock (or later) shadow and a wisp of hair. You can't see his face and I don't know how you would see that as a "deadbeat" guy.

But I recognize this is not a photo that the cigarette companies used to show in their ads of beautiful or handsome glamorous types smoking out on the range or sipping champagne. This picture focuses on the act of smoking and doesn't make it look exciting or positive. Like most addictions, smoking is not glamorous. And given the message in the column, I found the photo quite neutral.

It would not be news journalism or comment journalism to show a positive smoking picture when the medical evidence is so strong about the dangers of smoking. Also, the treatment for opinion columns is different from news stories and the photo is part of the message.

Just don't expect to see a positive smoking image in the media because it wouldn't be true.

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