Case: Tobacco: Long Collousness to Public Heath

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Question No. 1 What are the ethical issues in the case? Why these ethical issues and what concerns do they raise? Ethical Issues * Within the case there was discrimination against colour; this was evident in the case where cigarettes were packaged in a black and gold box which was aimed specifically at African American smokers. * There was also the issue of sex and class- the bran “Dakota” aimed at “virile females,” non-college educated women age 18-24 with blue collar jobs. * The tobacco industry provided money to women’s sports at a time when other money sources were virtually non-existent. * The issue of the Old Joe Camel Controversy – this was an advertising campaign which was geared towards targeting younger male smokers who had deserted the Camel brand. But the appeal of Old Joe went far beyond the targeted age group. It was found to be highly effective in reaching children under thirteen who were familiar with character. * The tobacco industry had been notorious for defending its position aggressively and being confrontational. Example: the tobacco industry pressured a school administration to fire a professor in Georgia whose study found that Joe Camel was almost as recognizable as Disney characters, thereby calling into question the tobacco industry claims that their ads were not targeting children. * The tobacco industry spent millions on campaign donations to influence lawmakers and additional millions to defend against lawsuits. Why are these ethical issues? According to “Importance of Philosophy” ethics is the study of right and wrong in human endeavors. At a more fundamental level, it is the method by which we categorize our values and pursue them. Do we pursue our own happiness, or do we sacrifice ourselves to a greater cause? In the Case study “Tobacco: Long Callousness to Public Health” deals with a number of

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