Free Essays on Tobacco

Tobacco Advertising Speech Tobacco companies are getting away with murder. Nearly 430 000 Americans die each year from smoking related diseases. An estimated 730 000 adolescent smokers will begin each year. (American Lung Association Fact Sheet. Online 1999) That should be an outrage to every American out there. Tobacco laws need to be stricter in this country and advertising of the product should be banned. Two major tobacco companies RJ Reynolds and Philip Morris spend 12 million dollars each day on tobacco advertising. These companies support the popular brands of cigarettes Camel and Marlboro. The two most highly sought after brands by teenage kids today. To say these companies don’t have an influence on our adolescents would be absurd. Parents who began smoking 30 years ago on average do not smoke the same brands of cigarettes that kids do today they tend to smoke less advertised brands.. In a study done at the Medical College of Georgia in 1998 â€Å" showed that as many 6 year old kids could relate The Camel Advertisements to smoking as they could relate Mickey Mouse to Disney†. That right there should be enough to concern every parent out there. There are a lot of surprising statistics that make the government and the people sue big tobacco advertisers. Like the fact that tobacco is the only legal product that causes death and disability when used as intended. Cigarettes kill more than 400,000 Americans every year, that's more than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, drugs and fires combined. Several studies have found nicotine to be addictive in ways similar to those of heroin, cocaine, and alcohol. Smokers have almost twice the risk of having coronary heart disease as nonsmokers. Smokers' risk of getting lung cancer is approximately 14 times than that of nonsmokers. It has taken many years for tobacco products deadly effects to be scientifically documented but now that it has the results are s... Free Essays on Tobacco Free Essays on Tobacco Tobacco Advertising Speech Tobacco companies are getting away with murder. Nearly 430 000 Americans die each year from smoking related diseases. An estimated 730 000 adolescent smokers will begin each year. (American Lung Association Fact Sheet. Online 1999) That should be an outrage to every American out there. Tobacco laws need to be stricter in this country and advertising of the product should be banned. Two major tobacco companies RJ Reynolds and Philip Morris spend 12 million dollars each day on tobacco advertising. These companies support the popular brands of cigarettes Camel and Marlboro. The two most highly sought after brands by teenage kids today. To say these companies don’t have an influence on our adolescents would be absurd. Parents who began smoking 30 years ago on average do not smoke the same brands of cigarettes that kids do today they tend to smoke less advertised brands.. In a study done at the Medical College of Georgia in 1998 â€Å" showed that as many 6 year old kids could relate The Camel Advertisements to smoking as they could relate Mickey Mouse to Disney†. That right there should be enough to concern every parent out there. There are a lot of surprising statistics that make the government and the people sue big tobacco advertisers. Like the fact that tobacco is the only legal product that causes death and disability when used as intended. Cigarettes kill more than 400,000 Americans every year, that's more than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, drugs and fires combined. Several studies have found nicotine to be addictive in ways similar to those of heroin, cocaine, and alcohol. Smokers have almost twice the risk of having coronary heart disease as nonsmokers. Smokers' risk of getting lung cancer is approximately 14 times than that of nonsmokers. It has taken many years for tobacco products deadly effects to be scientifically documented but now that it has the results are s... Free Essays on Tobacco In the year 1492, as every good schooling going American knows, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue. What everyone doesn’t know, however, is that his lesser known shipmate, Rodrigo de Jerez, brought back to Europe the first Tobacco leaves to be seen on the continent.(Facts,1) Seen puffing the dried leaves, A horrified Spanish Inquisition Imprisoned him for life on charges of being possessed by the devil.(Facts, 1) Strangely enough, that is exactly how the 400 years of dominant industrial tobacco abuse started, and it took it off faster than any other addictive substance ever.(Facts,2) The Cigarette itself, as before then, smoking was done in pipes and contraptions of that sort, was brought to the popular culture of Europe single-handedly by a man named Jean Nicot.(Facts,2) Nicots name was later borrowed by esteemed 19th-century scientists To name both the Plant, Nicotiana, and the active chemical, Nicotine.(Facts,1) More than ever before, tobacco gained popularity all over the world, after the European craze and prologue to the 19th century. The strange thing is, There is not one document of evidence to prove people were enjoying smoking through this era, yet there are countless amounts of documented quotes of people despising the â€Å"smelly weed.†(Facts,3) Although doctors, public authorities, Celebrities and role models alike have condemned the likes of tobacco in the body since its first discovery, the real cold hard facts did not show until the early 20th century.(Facts,4) In fact, until 1930, there was absolutely no conclusive data on the connection of Tobacco smoke and lung cancer.(Facts, 3) Jumping ahead a bit, Acclaimed writer of the 20th century Fletcher Knebel once commented â€Å"Smoking is not only the leading cause of premature death, it’s the leading cause of statistics.† Shockingly put, yet right in every disturbing sense, there are now 70,000 plus articles in print to prove how right he really is. ... Free Essays on Tobacco Tobacco Advertising Tobacco Advertising and its dangerous effects on young people. Everyday 3,000 children start smoking, most them between the ages of 10 and 18. These kids account for 90 percent of all new smokers. In fact, 90 percent of all adult smokers said that they first lit up as teenagers (Roberts). These statistics clearly show that young people are the prime target in the tobacco wars. The cigarette manufacturers may deny it, but advertising and promotion play a vital part in making these facts a reality (Roberts). The kings of these media ploys are Marlboro and Camel. Marlboro uses a fictional western character called The Marlboro Man, while Camel uses Joe Camel, a high-rolling, swinging cartoon character. Joe Camel, the "smooth character" from R.J. Reynolds, who is shown as a dromedary with complete style has been attacked by many Tobacco-Free Kids organizations as a major influence on the children of America. Dr. Lonnie Bristow, AMA (American Medical Association) spokesman, remarks that "to kids, cute cartoon characters mean that the product is harmless, but cigarettes are not harmless. They have to know that their ads are influencing the youth under 18 to begin smoking"(Breo). Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia report that almost as many 6-year olds recognize Joe Camel as know Mickey Mouse (Breo). That is very shocking information for any parent to hear. The industry denies that these symbols target people under 21 and claim that their advertising goal is simply to promote brand switching and loyalty. Many people disagree with this statement such as Illinois Rep. Richard Durbin who states " If we can reduce the number of young smokers, the tobacco companies will be in trouble and they know it "(Roberts). So what do the tobacco companies do to keep their industry alive and well? Seemingly, they go toward a market that is not fully aware of the harm that cigarettes are capable of. U.S. News recentl...