Answer:
Two views of tabacco industry
Taken together the documents challenge the tobacco industry’s cosy explanation of itself - as
the supplier of a legal product used for a widely-enjoyed social habit by adults who are fully
aware of the risks and choose to take them to experience the pleasures.
Instead a much darker explanation emerges: it is a predatory industry whose market dynamics
demand that it recruits young people. It does this by deploying vast promotional expenditures
to create, communicate and amplify a set of positive values associated with the product. Once
the glamour phase subsides, nicotine addiction takes over making the customer dependent on
the product and securing a profitable cash flow. Trapped by nicotine addiction, the smoker is
subject to a variety of sub-lethal illnesses which culminate in a one in two probability of death
through smoking-related disease. The smoker’s death means a replacement customer must be
found - and the cycle begins again.
Facts and realities the tobacco industry must accept
Justification for taking strong measures against the tobacco industry must be based on facts and
realities that command wide assent. Ten ‘facts and realities’ justified by the tobacco industry’s
own documents, are set out below. The industry should now be required to admit these:
1. That smoking causes many kinds of cancer, heart disease and respiratory illnesses which are
fatal for many sufferers. The industry still does not publicly accept that smoking causes
lung cancer.
2. That annual global death toll caused by smoking is 4 million. By 2030, that figure will rise
to 10 million with seventy percent of those deaths occurring in developing countries.
3. That nicotine is the most important active ingredient in tobacco; that the tobacco companies
are in the drug business; the drug is nicotine and that the cigarette is a drug delivery device.
The industry maintains it is a simple consumer goods industry.
4. That nicotine is physiologically and psychologically addictive, in a similar way to heroin
and cocaine - rather than shopping, chocolate or the Internet. The overwhelming majority
of smokers are strongly dependent on nicotine and that this is a substantial block to
smokers’ quitting if they choose to. The industry still maintains that nicotine is not
addictive in the sense used here.
5. That teenagers (13-18) and children (<13) are inherently important to the tobacco market
and that companies are competing for market share in these age groups. The industry
maintains that its business is only focussed on adults.
6. That advertising increases total consumption as well as promoting brand share. The
industry flatly denies this.
7. That advertising is one (of several) important and interlocking ingredients that nurture
smoking behaviour among teenagers and children. The industry denies its advertising
influences the smoking behaviour of children.
8. That current formulations of low tar cigarettes create false health reassurance and offer little
or no health benefit. The industry has either not publicly accepted this or argued that it
never claimed any health benefits.
9. That second-hand smoke is a real public health hazard, including causing childhood
diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, cot-death and glue ear, and is a cause of lung cancer
and heart disease in adults. The industry has mounted a major disinformation campaign in
this area.
That the tobacco industry has the normal duty of any manufacturer to ensure that it does not
market a defective product and that its products are as safe as possible.
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Answers & Comments
Answer:
Two views of tabacco industry
Taken together the documents challenge the tobacco industry’s cosy explanation of itself - as
the supplier of a legal product used for a widely-enjoyed social habit by adults who are fully
aware of the risks and choose to take them to experience the pleasures.
Instead a much darker explanation emerges: it is a predatory industry whose market dynamics
demand that it recruits young people. It does this by deploying vast promotional expenditures
to create, communicate and amplify a set of positive values associated with the product. Once
the glamour phase subsides, nicotine addiction takes over making the customer dependent on
the product and securing a profitable cash flow. Trapped by nicotine addiction, the smoker is
subject to a variety of sub-lethal illnesses which culminate in a one in two probability of death
through smoking-related disease. The smoker’s death means a replacement customer must be
found - and the cycle begins again.
Facts and realities the tobacco industry must accept
Justification for taking strong measures against the tobacco industry must be based on facts and
realities that command wide assent. Ten ‘facts and realities’ justified by the tobacco industry’s
own documents, are set out below. The industry should now be required to admit these:
1. That smoking causes many kinds of cancer, heart disease and respiratory illnesses which are
fatal for many sufferers. The industry still does not publicly accept that smoking causes
lung cancer.
2. That annual global death toll caused by smoking is 4 million. By 2030, that figure will rise
to 10 million with seventy percent of those deaths occurring in developing countries.
3. That nicotine is the most important active ingredient in tobacco; that the tobacco companies
are in the drug business; the drug is nicotine and that the cigarette is a drug delivery device.
The industry maintains it is a simple consumer goods industry.
4. That nicotine is physiologically and psychologically addictive, in a similar way to heroin
and cocaine - rather than shopping, chocolate or the Internet. The overwhelming majority
of smokers are strongly dependent on nicotine and that this is a substantial block to
smokers’ quitting if they choose to. The industry still maintains that nicotine is not
addictive in the sense used here.
5. That teenagers (13-18) and children (<13) are inherently important to the tobacco market
and that companies are competing for market share in these age groups. The industry
maintains that its business is only focussed on adults.
6. That advertising increases total consumption as well as promoting brand share. The
industry flatly denies this.
7. That advertising is one (of several) important and interlocking ingredients that nurture
smoking behaviour among teenagers and children. The industry denies its advertising
influences the smoking behaviour of children.
8. That current formulations of low tar cigarettes create false health reassurance and offer little
or no health benefit. The industry has either not publicly accepted this or argued that it
never claimed any health benefits.
9. That second-hand smoke is a real public health hazard, including causing childhood
diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, cot-death and glue ear, and is a cause of lung cancer
and heart disease in adults. The industry has mounted a major disinformation campaign in
this area.
That the tobacco industry has the normal duty of any manufacturer to ensure that it does not
market a defective product and that its products are as safe as possible.