Free Not All Companies Are Viewed As Equal Argumentative Essay Example

There are several industries that produce goods that are not good for our health. In spite of the public and the Government knowing the disadvantages of such products, they still exist in the market and are consumed by a majority of people across world. These products include soda, tobacco, alcohol, candies and many more. Most of these products affect us in one way or the other. Some may be less harmful than others, but all of these products definitely have a negative impact on us.
One such product that is a serious threat to our health is tobacco. Tobacco contains nicotine, which is not good for our health and can be life threatening as well, if used for a long time. A person who smokes about 1½ packs (30 cigarettes) daily gets 300 "hits" of nicotine to the brain each day (Drugabuse.gov, 2012). Even each packet of tobacco gives a warning to its consumers saying that it is injurious to health. However, there are so many people who are still consuming it on a daily basis. These people include both men and women of all age groups. So many of them are even losing their lives because of the extreme health issues it causes.
It’s ironical that in spite of everyone knowing that tobacco is a major threat to our society, it’s continuing to be sold in the market and consumed by so many people across countries. So many youngsters fall into the trap of these habits everyday with or without knowing the consequences. They usually start it off to enjoy the pleasure they get out of it without even realizing what future has in store for them. Every day, another 1,500 kids become daily smokers, and one-third of them will die prematurely as a result of getting hooked (Tobaccofreemaine.org, 2015).
The question that arises here is when everyone knows it’s a harmful product why is it still produced and marketed. Even the producers are well aware of its consequences yet they try their best to sell it and make maximum profit out of it. There are various reasons because of which various tobacco products are still in the market.
First of all, this industry is widely spread and gives employment to millions of people in the world. The sale and purchase of tobacco products adds to a country’s economy as well. If all tobacco manufacturing companies shut down, millions of people would be left unemployed. There will a major impact on the export/import market as well. That would be another big issue that would require immediate action. But, this is a global issue and some major global bodies are working on it.
If we look at the industry’s level, the major issue here is that companies manufacturing tobacco and all such products are making a lot of money out of these products. They are only concerned with their targets and profits. They are not concerned about the consumers and the side effects these products could have on them. They are aware of the fact that people who get used to tobacco consumption find it difficult to leave it because it is habit forming. Therefore, they see this as an opportunity. They market it and then they sell it. The more they sell the product, the more profit they make out of it.
But, this is definitely not ethical on the companies’ part. They are making money out of something that is taking lives of many innocent people. One of the many responsibilities we all should cater to is social responsibility. Companies producing tobacco, or any such harmful, products are also socially responsible for their acts and they should be responsible for what they are selling and what effect it has on the consumers.
It’s understandable that these companies can’t shut down in a day or two because so many people would lose their jobs in one go. But, these industries and companies should definitely understand their responsibility towards their consumers and the society as a whole. They should try and find ways to manufacture alternate products that are not as harmful to their consumers or, at least, try to reduce the consumption of the said products. Profit making is an important part of businesses but not at the cost of so many lives.

References

Girlshealth.gov (2013). How tobacco affects your body. Retrieved from http://girlshealth.gov/substance/smoking/tobaccotext.html
betobaccofree.hhs.gov (2015). Effects of Smoking on Your Health. Retrieved from
http://betobaccofree.hhs.gov/health-effects/smoking-health/