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Tobacco has been used for enjoyment for thousands of years. Native Americans
are believed to be the first to use tobacco. Over the years the use of tobacco has become
so widespread that is can be found in nearly every country. The tobacco industries have
provided a very harmful product to the public. The US Government should regulate the
tobacco industry because tobacco is hazardous to the American public and because they
have conducted their business practices in an unethical and immoral fashion.
The tobacco industries argue that they have their legal rights and they have only
been providing a product enjoyed by millions of Americans for years. Christopher
Proctor, of British American Tobacco, stated that, “Human beings have used tobacco for
thousands of years. Today with near-universal awareness of the health risks, a billion
adults choose to smoke” (“Phillip” 2). People have used tobacco for so long, and they
continue to use it even though they are aware of the health risks. They should be allowed
to continue to produce the product since nearly everybody who uses it is aware of the
dangers. Also, the tobacco industry helps to save the government money. “[T]he industry
has prepared to argue that it had, in fact, saved the medical system $2 billion in nursing
home costs, as smokers die prematurely and need less long-term care (“Putting” 1).”
Since people die earlier from the cigarettes, the medical system saved several billion
dollars. This industry helps save the government money so they should be allowed to
continue with their business. Finally, everyone has the freedom to make his or her own
choice. “As lawyers for the incriminated tobacco companies point out, the decision to
smoke is an individual choice” (“Putting” 1). People make the decision to smoke, not the
tobacco industry. The industry shouldn’t be sued or limited just because someone dies
from their own decision. People have chosen to smoke for thousands of years, and the
tobacco industry should be allowed to continue providing the people with what they want
without the interference of the US Government.
Tobacco hurts millions of people every year, even those that choose not to smoke.
On June 16th 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report
estimating that 700 million children around the world are exposed to second hand
smoke. WHO confirmed that second-hand smoke is associated with lower
respiratory tract infections, middle ear disease, chronic respiratory symptoms,
asthma, decreased lung functions and SIDs. (“Kids” 1)
Therefore it is clear that millions of children are hurt by second hand smoke. This
industry needs to be stopped from providing a product that damages young children who
are exposed without personal use or personal choice. Smoking also damages the people
that use it. David Davies, vice president of corporate affairs at Phillip Morris Europe,
stated that, “Smoking causes disease such as lung cancer, emphysema, heart disease, and
cardiovascular disease. We agree that smoking is addictive” (Kapp 2). Smoking damages
people and they continue to use this harmful product because they are addicted. Most
people are unable to pay for medical bills from their tobacco caused diseases, so it is left
to the government to pay, which is unfair and a waste of tax money. All Americans
become financially responsible to care for these self-inflicted diseases. Finally, tobacco is
becoming a major cause of death. A coalition of US organizations, including the
American Lung Association, American Cancer Society, and American Medical
Association said that, “More people worldwide are expected to die from tobacco-related
illness over the next 30 years than from AIDS, automobile accidents, maternal mortality,
homicide and suicide combined” (Kapp 2). Tobacco will soon be the cause of a gigantic
number of deaths. A product so deadly should not be legal for public use and it’s one of
the roles of the government to protect its people and look after the public’s health and
welfare. The tobacco industry really needs to be controlled by the government because it
is the cause of so much harm to the public and because they are either too immoral or too
greedy to police themselves.
Tobacco industries use many unethical business practices, a major one being
advertising. “Since 1964, when the surgeon-general declared smoking a health hazard, t
he government had progressively restricted the venues in which Big Tobacco can ply it’s
wares [,]…[b]ut each time big Tobacco has found new outlets, splattering it’s name
across the likes of race cars, T shirts and baseball caps” (Kaufman and Solomon 1). The
government has tried many ways to limit the tobacco industry, but it still finds ways to
advertise to children. These are unethical ways to advertise. They shouldn’t be allowed
to continue finding ways around limits set by the government. Furthermore, the industry
also keeps the products addictive to maintain customers. “Hilts demonstrates that tobacco
companies use various techniques to manipulate the amount of nicotine in cigarettes. This
manipulation enables them to keep the nicotine in cigarettes at appropriate addiction
levels” (Levinson 1). The tobacco companies make sure that there is enough nicotine in
cigarettes to make sure people get addicted. They should not be allowed to make their
products so addictive, but instead the Food and Drug Administration should regulate the
nicotine content in cigarettes, like they do for the gum and patches, so that they aren’t as
addictive. Moreover, even preteens are starting to catch on to the ads. “There is even
evidence that pre-school children are aware of cigarette advertising. Fischler found that
30% of 3 year olds and 90% of 6 year olds correctly matched ‘Old Joe,’ the cartoon
character promoting Camel cigarettes, with a picture of a cigarette” (Hastings and Aitken
2). Children as young as three are recognizing cigarette ads, showing that the ads are
targeting children. Children so young should not be targeted by ads that are for a
dangerous product they can’t even legally use for many years. The tobacco industry’s
unethical business practices should not be allowed to continue.
The tobacco industry has a long history of unethical and immoral business
practices and their product is an addictive poison that had become like a modern plague
that is a major source of severe medical disease and death. Tobacco usage has spread
worldwide and can now be found in nearly every country. Unfortunately, people continue
to use tobacco as it has been used in many forms for thousands of years since its first use
by the Native Americans.
Bibliography
Hastings, Gerard B, and Aitken, Philip P. “Tobacco Advertising and Children’s Smoking:
A Review of the Evidence.” European Journal of Marketing 29 (1995): 6-18.
Teinowitz, Ira. “American Lung Ass’n Seeks Ban on All Cig Ad Symbols.” Advertising
Age 68 (1997): 30+.
Levinson, Martin H. “Books.” ETC: A Review of General Semantics 53 (1997): 474-477.
Kaufman, Leslie, and Solomon, Jolie. “Stealth Marketing.” Newsweek March 1997:
2-7.
Kapp, Clare. “Publice Hearings on Tobacco Hailed a Success.” Lancet 356 (2000):
1420+.
“Kids Suffer from Smoke.” Natural Life 68 (1999): 14+.
“Putting a Price on Life.” UNESCO Courier Sep. 1998: 40.
“Philip Morris Agrees Cigarettes are Addictive but Resists Tough Controls.” AP
Worldstream Oct. 2000.
Word Count: 1075
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