According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “the adverse health effects from cigarette smoking account for an estimated 443,000 deaths, or nearly one of every five deaths, each year in the United States.”
It is no doubt that cigarettes can cause death. However, should cigarettes be permanently banned in all countries? According to the article tobacco firms bypass marketing restrictions with clever web campaigns, tobacco companies had been advertising and promoting their products through the internet. Unlike other products, cigarettes are harmful and its advertisement were barely seen or heard in normal medais, such as television or the radio. Promotion is one of the 4 P’s in the marketing mix, it is extremely important to let customers know about the product. Without promotion, it is very likely that the product will not be able to “survive” in the industry. I think the tobacco firms are really smart by promoting their products through the internet. There are much lesser restrictions on the internet and it is used by millions of people in the world everyday. Unfortunately, due to the harmful nature of the product,”researchers called for all current restrictions on tobacco advertising to be extended to the internet.” The tobacco industry is a form of business and wants to make money too, by restricting its advertising campaign, the public is reducing the promotion of the product. Without one of the 4 P’s, will the tobacco industry still be able to “survive”? Will it be fair to the smokers and the tobacco industry?
