BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISEMENT IN INDIA

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BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISEMENT IN INDIA
In 2004 the government of India banned tobacco companies from advertising their products and sponsoring sports and cultural events. The objective was to discourage adolescents from consuming tobacco products as well as empower the government with the power to launch an anti tobacco program. . This issue created a serious problem in that it was both ethical and commercial, the government on one hand, believe it was its responsibility to protect the welfare of its citizen, while the tobacco industry was a major contributor to the state funds.
Objectivity and fairness are the basis of ethical decision making and argument for the ban of tobacco should have been objective. Objectivity is impossible without personal detachment; fairness cannot be achieved without detachment since it is about other people. Being ethical is not a matter of imposing standards and views on other people as the government of India is seen doing. Being ethical is being fair and understanding implications from other people’s perspective and not just focusing on what you want to achieve without looking at the impact of your decision on other stakeholders , Objectivity is flexible because it can be approached and achieved in different ways. We know the Government of India wanted to safeguard against the rise in the uptake of tobacco among the youth, but on the other hand, they have a challenge that the same company of tobacco was a major contributor to the economy, the government in this case should have consulted with a view to reach a compromise with the tobacco company for the benefit of the country and the tobacco companies
The eight elements of an ethical organization comprise of respect, honor, integrity, customer foc...

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...th in India. Since tobacco has an impact on the economy of India a consultation with the stakeholders would have come up with a better way of addressing the issue because I take it there is resistance because consultation was not properly done. The government of India should have a law that punishes the businesses that sold tobacco to the youth. The government of India should know that tobacco use rose with measures of receptivity, including having a favorite tobacco advertisement and as such banning the advertisement of tobacco may not have an impact as banning the tobacco, because there would be several illegal ways of making the tobacco available to those who are not supposed to have them such as the youth.

Reference
1. www.icmrindia.org/free%20resources/casestudies/ban-tobacco-ads11.htm
2. www.icmrindia.org/free%20resources/casestudies/ban-tobacco-ads3.htm

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