Lucy Stephenson

Ethics flood people’s every day lives. They are best described as the moral decisions people make as to whether something is good, bad, the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do.

As most people are aware, cigarettes are harmful to the smoker, and others around them. In the article “Britain says ready to ban all branding on cigarette packs” http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/03/us-britain-cigarettes-packaging-idUSBREA320SU20140403, by William James and Martinne Geller, the UK’s recent decision to ban cigarette advertising on billboards, posters, tv commercials and now also on cigarette packets itself is discussed. This decision is aimed to “improve public health and cut the number of child smokers”. The ethical decision of the government to ban advertising is courageous, as cigarette’s are a good, that causes for high levels of government income from taxation. His attempt to cut down the amount of smokers in the UK will lead to a fall in the tax revenue. However the moral decision to disregard the loss of income, in an attempt to reduce ‘start-up-smokers’ is renowned. The article says how the UK is looking to mimic the green cigarette packaging in Australia, which has proven to be successful in cutting the size of the smokers population. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/australia-shows-that-plain-tobacco-packaging-significantly-cuts-smoking-9697748.html. 

In my opinion, the choice to ignore the possible high profit gained from taxation and focus on the health of the british public, allows the government’s image to be seen in a more positive light and his future decisions to be taken up in a more open manner.