The Advertising of Alcohol & Tobacco
In Deadly Persuasion: The Advertising of Alcohol & Tobacco, Jean Kilbourne not only tackles with the sensitive subject of drug addiction -its causes and its effects; but also, she talks about the opposing arguments that approves with tobacco-use and alcohol-drinking. In her introduction, Ms. Kilbourne states that, when talking about these subjects, people usually get defensive about alcohol/tobacco-related problems and labels those who are against the tobacco/alcohol industry as "Prohibitionists," a THREAT to individual rights and FREEDOM; while, the truth is that these industries' prime focus is to increase PROFITS without thinking about the cost to public health and private lives! They talk about freedom when the truth is the exact opposite -SLAVERY!!! A drug addict is a slave to these corporations. Addiction is the polar opposite to individual freedom. How can somebody talk about freedom when he/she is not free from ADDICTION, DENIAL, and MANIPULATION!
The Advertising of Tobacco
Tobacco is the most addictive drug of all and kills more people than alcohol, cocaine, heroin, car crashes, suicides, and AIDS COMBINED!!!! Nicotine kills 440,000 people annually compared to 202,000 dead people due to alcohol, cocaine, heroin, car crashes, suicides, and AIDS annually. Can YOU believe that? Jean Kilbourne not only talks about statistics but also from experience. Well, she was a smoker but she quit. Now, she has great sympathy for smokers. But, to be able to change something and for her movement to be successful, she shifted the blame, problem, and focus from the individual to the tobacco industry -as quoted: "I am not anti-smoker at all. What I am is anti-the tobacco industry." Thus, as discussed during one of our Sociology classes, Doc stated that to influence the individual, his/her environment or the social forces affecting that particular person must change. Ms. Kilbourne started for all reasons for a typical female smoker -she wanted to become "sexier, wilder, more glamorous, and more grown-up. Due to the number of dying smokers and quitters, the tobacco industry needs new "recruits" / smokers. The answer to this problem is teenagers. More and more young people are being hooked to smoking. One research analyst said that if the tobacco industry hooked them while they're still young most likely they'll be addicted to smoking. Thus, the tobacco industry spends millions of dollars to advertising alone. How could someone think that smoking can kill someone if the advertisements illustrate young, healthy people "alive with pleasure?" One cannot expect advertisers to tell the truth use "Dead with Cancer" as a slogan... These advertisements also depicts the message that men "owe their freedom, independence, masculinity to their Marlboros" when that fact is that smoking causes "lower testosterone count, sterility, and impotence." It is also hazardous to a man's erection!!! Even though Marlboros was designed as a cigarette designed for women (cigarettes with red tips so lipsticks wouldn't show), Philip Morris, the makers of Marlboros, thought that it wasn't a good idea.
