Analysis of Tobacco Advertising Ban: Arguments For and Against

This essay examines the contentious issue of banning tobacco advertising, presenting a comprehensive analysis of the arguments for and against such a ban. It begins by outlining the perspective of tobacco companies, emphasizing their financial investments and the justification for advertising. The essay then presents the opposing viewpoint, which argues against the ban, highlighting the rights of adult consumers and the presence of health warnings on tobacco products. The author's own claim supports the ban, citing the negative influence of advertising on the younger generation and the resulting public health problems. The essay provides strengths and weaknesses of both opposing and own claims, including employment provided by the tobacco industry versus the health risks. It also discusses the ripple effect of tobacco advertising, including health problems, and the strain on healthcare systems. The essay suggests a common ground, recognizing the tobacco companies' business interests while advocating for necessary restrictions on marketing. Finally, it includes an annotated bibliography of relevant research articles supporting the arguments presented.

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Instructor Name:
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Date: February 23, 2019
Tobacco Advertising Should Be Banned
Tobacco is a product that is sold worldwide by various corporate organisations around
the world. These organisations do have enough funds to promote and market tobacco
consumption among general consumers. This tends to influence the mindset of consumers
towards the consumption of tobacco and tobacco-related products (Kamerow, Douglas 2014).
There has been growing demand from various civil right activists and health care activists around
the world to ban advertising of tobacco in mainstream media communication channels like print
media, television media, radio advertising, etc. The government has been one of the biggest
enemies of tobacco companies, in every budget of governments around the world, there is a
pattern; they impose necessary taxation on tobacco products and companies so that consumption
of tobacco can be discouraged in an effective way.
Thesis:
According to the General's Report of Surgeon, "Cigarettes contains in excess of 7000
synthetic concoctions including hundreds which are perilous and at least which cause cancer"

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(Mitchell, 2010). The general wellbeing of American individuals ought to be the fundamental
need of American business.
The current report will be going to discuss the issue of tobacco advertising and its
influence on consumption of tobacco and tobacco products, whether tobacco advertising should
be banned or not and the possible solution for the issue along with necessary arguments in favour
and against will be discussed in detail under the report.
Opposition Claim
The opposing view to the topic of banning tobacco products is that it should not be
banned. The supporting view is that companies and business incur necessary cost for the purpose
of manufacturing of tobacco products and therefore in order to recover their cost and make some
profits, it is justified to do advertising of different products on mainstream media. Also, the fact
that tobacco products can be sold with a clear warning on the product itself that the same is
injurious to health and regular consumption of the same can lead to various kind of illness
including cancer (Scollo, Michelle, et al. 2015). The audience targeted through advertising are
above the age of 18, and therefore they are prudent enough to take the decision whether to
consume tobacco products or not.
Consumption of tobacco is the sole discretion of an individual who is adult and thus if one
decides to consume it at his own will, how and why should it matter anyone? There might be
plenty of other bad habits that an individual may possess and which may be equally injurious for
his health, but those products which create this habit are also promoted and marketed on a global
level like fast food business, then why tobacco products can’t (Raptou, Elena, et al., 2012).
Strengths and weakness of opposing claims
Strengths

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 Tobacco offers a natural neurotoxin known as alkaloid nicotine, which assists in combining with
the other ingredients and can be utilized for pest control.
 While smoking, carbon monoxide is released into the bloodstream. It assists in preventing the
blood clots.
 Tobacco industry provides employment to thousands of people in their manufacturing factories
and for other business operation purpose.
Weaknesses
 Tobacco in cigarettes and the direct consumption of tobacco causes cancer.
 Bad breathing is also one of the outcomes after the consumption of tobacco.
 Advertising of tobacco on national television can influence kids and children to consume the
same.
Own Claim
As far as own claim is concerned, it can be said that tobacco advertising should be
banned at the earliest. This is because tobacco advertising impacts and influences the mindset of
the young generation and compels them to consume cigarettes. The big corporate companies that
are engaged behind the manufacturing of tobacco products advertise for the sole aim of making
huge profits and thus influencing the young generation for consumption of tobacco products in
the longer run. Banning advertisements can reduce the consumption of these products in the
society thereby reducing the adverse effects on the health of individuals (Zhu, Shu-Hong, et al.,
2014). Due to the excess consumption of tobacco products, various families and their kids have
seen fights and disputes in their life due to change in the behaviour of those who consume

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tobacco products in the family. They become more aggressive and violent in their behaviour due
to excess consumption of the same, as claimed by a study of USA based university.
Warrants of own claim and opposition’s claim
Opposition Claim
The opposition claim can be justified on the ground that advertising is not an application
of any tangible force on an individual to consume tobacco product. An adult individual does
have the whole discretion to decide whether to consume tobacco products or not, therefore
saying that tobacco companies are responsible for compelling individuals to consume is not
correct. An image of serious medical cases that have occurred due to regular consumption of
tobacco products can be put on the product's packaging; this can help in informing people and
discourage consumption of the same (Valliani, Arif, et al., 2014).
Own claim
Advertising of tobacco products has a ripple effect. It increases consumption of these products
among people, leading to various health problems which have to bear by not only family
members, but sometimes by the government as well. Therefore, excessive advertising of tobacco
products is basically putting the strain on the exchequer and their health bill due to an increase in
consumption of these products in the longer run. Therefore, advertising of these products should
be banned at the earliest and no more room should be given to tobacco companies to expand
their business by taking lives of innocent people, which leaves their family in a state of grief.
The common ground between opponent claim and own claim
A common ground between the two claims can be the fact that tobacco companies are not
villains of society. They sell tobacco like any other product to make profits, for them, it is their
business, and people should keep an open mind set for the same (Eijk, vette 2016). However,

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necessary and genuine restrictions can be applied to the advertising and marketing of tobacco
products among people. This will lead to midway and a possible solution for both tobacco
companies and society in general.

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Annotated Bibliography
Han, Tha, et al. "Impact of tobacco outlet density and proximity on smoking cessation: a
longitudinal observational study in two English cities." Health & place 27 (2014): 45-
50.
This article has tried to discuss the impact of different tobacco outlets in two different English
cities causing many kinds of issues including an increase in the number of deaths that
have taken place in the city.
Yang, Tingzhong, et al. "Tobacco advertising, environmental smoking bans, and smoking in
Chinese urban areas." Drug and alcohol dependence 124.1-2 (2012): 121-127.
The aim of this article is to discuss the impact of tobacco consumption in urban areas of China.
The impact of tobacco advertising on families and individual health is discussed. The
consumption of same in various public places and in work environment is also discussed in
detail.
El-Toukhy, Sherine M., and Kelvin Choi. "Magazine hyped: Trends in tobacco advertising and
readership characteristics, 2010–2014." Preventive medicine 91 (2016): 132-137.
This article described that tracked magazine advertisements for the seven tobacco products in US
magazines.
Almutairi, Khalid M. "Prevalence of tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke
among Saudi medical students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia." Journal of community health
39.4 (2014): 668-673.

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Kamerow, Douglas. "Big Tobacco lights up e-cigarettes." BMJ 346 (2013): f3418.
Raptou, Elena, et al. "Public support toward tobacco control: consumer responsiveness and
policy planning." American journal of health behavior 36.5 (2012): 666-680.
Scollo, Michelle, et al. "Tobacco product developments are coinciding with the implementation
of plain packaging in Australia." Tobacco Control 24.e1 (2015): e116-e122.
Valliani, Arif, et al. "Use of smokeless tobacco amongst the staff of tertiary care hospitals in the
largest City of Pakistan." Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 13.5 (2012):
2315-2317.
Van der Eijk, Yvette. "Ethics of tobacco harm reduction from a liberal perspective." Journal of
Medical Ethics 42.5 (2016): 273-277.
Zhu, Shu-Hong, et al. "Four hundred and sixty brands of e-cigarettes and counting: implications
for product regulation." Tobacco control 23.suppl 3 (2014): iii3-iii9.