By 2030 tobacco will be the biggest cause of death, killing about 10 million people annually. The fastest growing population of smokers exists in the developing world. In China, for example, there are an estimated 300 million smokers-one-third of its adult population and triple the number of 20 years ago.
In the Philippines, 73 percent of adults and half the children ages 7 to 17 smoke. Africa has never been thought of as a primary growth region for smoking, but Philip Morris' profit there has been increasing at the rate of 20 percent a year. And in India, where only 12 percent of people smoke, both R. J. R. Reynolds and Philip Morris are now a presence, trying to tap the last major virgin market for tobacco consumption.
a. What ethical considerations arise when tobacco companies market their products in developing countries?
b. Internet Assignment The first world treaty dealing with public health went into effect in February 2005.
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control bans all tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. Find out which countries ratified the treaty.
Is the United States a signatory? Why or why not? What can you find out about the likely effectiveness of this global effort to reign in tobacco marketing?