I can't imagine living twenty, thirty, forty years ago when smoking was still socially acceptable. When one of my non-smoker friends, or even worse a professor or boss, discovers my disgusting habit, I feel like a puppy that just stained the new carpet.
In "Punctuated Equilibrium in Limbo: The Tobacco and U.S. State Policymaking from 1990 to 2003," Michael Givel explains that according to equilibrium theory, policy monopolies are stable for long periods of time and usually change due to quick shocks to the system. Note that Givel declares that from 1990 to 2003, policy favored the tobacco industry with only minimal anti-smoking changes in certain states. Almost ten years later, policy no longer favors the company (at least not in New Jersey) for the mandatory cigarette price is extremely high (around $8.50/pack), smoking is banned indoors and in public places, and strict warning labels must be on all boxes. What caused this? Perhaps a social trend to be healthy? Nonetheless, smokers are still smoking, but maybe more in secrecy.
The tobacco industry is still worth million of dollars, but there is no denying what the health advocates did to its reputation. From the anti-smoking commercials to the flyers to the designated Anti-Smoking week on campus, it is hard not to feel ashamed as a smoker. If only this was enough for me to quit. So how did the industry manage to stay afloat?
According to Harvey Sapolsky in "The Political Obstacles to the Control of Cigarette Smoking in the United States," the marketing skills, political skills, political connections, amazing legal counsel, and intense biased research team are among the resources that keep people smoking. Of course, people are also continuing to smoke because they are addicted! Givel also acknowledges the financial abundance that assists big businesses, calling this phenomena neopluralist theory. He further claims that such an advantage unfairly influences policy. A sad but true fact. Money buys everything from freedom and innocence in a trial (eg: O.J. Simpson) to the policies and laws made in Congress.
What is worse? Lobbying for the boges or being addicted to them? In Thank You For Smoking Aaron Eckhart stars as Nick Naylor, vice president of the Academy of Tobacco Studies. When questioned how he promotes smoking, Naylor always replies, "Everyone has to pay the mortgage." And my personal favorite: "That's the beauty of argument, if you argue correctly, you are never wrong." Aside from the humorous catch phrases, Naylor also gives perspective to business end of the cigarette controversy.
On an individual level, yes, smoking increases one's risk for cancer, heart disease and a serious of other complications. But on a government level, the result is not so bad. Sapolsky reports that in 1980, excise taxes from tobacco products brought in $6 billion with $2.3 billion going to the federal government and $3.7 billion going to state and local governments. The businesses selling the cancer sticks are bringing in millions too. Now, over thirty years later, cigarette prices have drastically raised. According to RJ Reynolds, governments on all levels made more than $44.5 billion dollars from tobacco tax in 2011. Ironically, the government actually profits more than the retailers, manufacturers and farmers combined.
As people are still smoking, and businesses are still profiting, people are still protesting cigarettes. Historian Robert Proctor fights to educate those on the health damages and claims that dog and cat food are more strictly regulated. Proctor also discusses the marketing techniques and hopes for more regulation in the future.
The struggle between the tobacco industry and health advocates began nearly forty years ago, and still continues. The horrors of drugs and alcohol are evident too, but people still continue to indulge in these vices. Perhaps, this battle will never end. Let the smoker smoke, the drinker drink and the fat man eat cake.
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