Will our democratic and consumer freedoms be destroyed if controls on tobacco advertising are legislated? This is the latest scare-mongering tactic of the global tobacco powerhouse, clearly shown in the letter headlined 'Anti-smoking salvo off target' (South China Morning Post, April 30).
The author is the public relations secretary of the local Tobacco Institute whose function is to maintain social and legal acceptance of a toxic product linked to over 3,000 deaths per year in Hong Kong. An important aspect of its work is the enlistment of the legal profession in this assault on our health.
It is amusing, if not ironic, to observe the appeal to 'freedom' on behalf of an addictive product, one that deprives its user of freedom to such an extent that he or she will resume smoking even after losing a lung to cancer, as happened to a friend (now deceased).
A 'democratic society' is not one that readily allows dangerous and toxic products to be promoted to young, impressionable people. Since the tobacco industry claims that its advertising has no effect on sales patterns, why is it throwing money away by its lavish promotions and sponsorships? If people start smoking without being persuaded by advertising, why don't the tobacco industry's people just retire or work at some socially beneficial job? Tobacco bosses worldwide look at the emerging market in China with avidity, seeing a potential sales goal of over 500 million smokers, a veritable gold mine for their operations, since 98 per cent of our population is Chinese and they can serve as guinea pigs for advertising campaigns, market research and tools of modern sales efforts.
Unfortunately, the success of the tobacco industry, whether Chinese or foreign, is causing an epidemic of tobacco-linked diseases in China, with estimates of 300,000 deaths per year.
The US, by comparison, loses about 360,000 per year to cigarette-caused illnesses despite its advanced medical treatments.
