SHOULD WE ENCOURAGE INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN TOBACCO PRODUCTS?
...or seasonal workers, while another 70 million or so are employed in tobacco-related industries. The job of cultivating tobacco can be performed by women and unskilled laborers who would otherwise find work difficult or impossible to obtain. (1) China is the biggest market for foreign tobacco products in the world. China’s tobacco and cigarette industry has been the biggest taxpayer in the country for eight straight years. (“Cigarette Salesmen Target China; Popularity of Smoking Creates Huge Market for Tobacco Products”, The Washington Post, 1995, Steven Mufson). The tobacco control movement is making its way to China, however, and it’s hard to say how long tobacco will remain a popular past time. The health risks associated with tobacco are widely publicized, so it’s hard to imagine anyone in China or anywhere else not being aware of them. At least 1.2 Million people die every year of smoking-related illnesses. (1) The dangers aren’t limited to smokers themselves, but can be passed on through second hand smoke. Because of that, smoking has been banned in large public places such as malls, restaurants, etc. (1) The health insurance costs incurred by treating these illnesses is phenomenal. The biggest argument against tobacco exportation is an ethical one. It’s about morals and responsibility of the tobacco companies. For years the tobacco companies have known the dangers of cigarettes and have denied them. Little by little, they are acknowledging the health risks as whistle-blowers and dying cigarette smokers bring suit against them. First, the federal government required the tobacco manufacturers to put warning labels on the cigarettes. Then they issued a higher tobacco tax (which has increased several times). Advertising became the next topic of interest and it is against the law to focus tobacco advertising towards minors. There is now a very strict minimum age tobacco purchasing law (18 yrs. old). The gove...