Re: tobacco advertising and the First Amendment

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Out of a list of topics for a mock trial tryout I chose one
about Cigarettes and whether they should continue to be
allowed to advertise. As you will read I do not smoke nor do
i think that smoking is good. I do however believe in
traditions in our country, especaially free speech. I was
interested in your argument and it is always good to get an
opinion opposite of your own. So I present you with my
argument and hope you will reciprocate an interest as well.

Is it right for the government to censor cigarette ads and
forbid the tobacco companies from sponsoring youth events?
The answer…. as unpleasant as it may seem at first…is no…
Tobacco companies have the right to advertise their product.
The U.S. Supreme court, as late as last year, ruled in favor
of tobacco companies using outdoor advertisement, even near
schools, under the protection of the first amendment.
Not only do cigarette companies have the right to advertise,
they are being unfairly targeted. It is not right to single
out the tobacco industry while not addressing other threats
to young people such as alcohol, violence in the media,
unhealthy foods, or even abortion. Alcohol contributes to car
accidents, date rape, child abuse, as well as poor health.
Yet the alcoholic beverage companies sponsor sporting events
and air commercials targeted for young people on TV.
Childhood obesity, a growing problem in the United States, is
due largely to unhealthy eating of fast foods, sodas, and
high sugar products. Violence in the media contributes to
gang activity and juvenile crime. How can you single out one
industry when there are so many others that cause just as
much, if not more, harm to the young public?
Smoking is a choice. You have the choice to light the
cigarette or not. The government banned cigarette advertising
in the largest medium…television over twenty years ago, and
yet the percentage of teen smoking has not drastically
changed in that time.
We must accept that censoring tobacco advertisements has had
little to no affect on young people whether present or past.
By taking this position I am in no way advocating smoking or
siding with the tobacco industry, I am simply stating that we
should not impinge on the first amendment. We should instead
try to enforce more strictly the laws against the sale of
tobacco to minors and continue informing the public of the
harms of smoking. So is censorship really the answer to
stopping smoking or is it enlightenment.

Re: tobacco advertising and the First Amendment, 3/24/04, by nicole and angela.

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