Unhealthy debate
Cigarette advertising was outlawed in Australia many years ago.
So I was surprised to read this morning that tobacco companies in the USA are going fight changes to on pack health warnings because they infringe on their First Amendment rights.
For those of you not familiar with the First Amendment it's the one that guarantees freedom of speech.
Given cigarettes are a legal product I suspect this challenge will end up in the courts.
Where a bunch of legal firms will obviously make a great deal of money arguing a seemingly unwinnable argument.
What a pity that money couldn't be invested in healthcare and education programs.
Labels: advertising, tobacco, usa
posted by Stan Lee at 4:30 pm
1 Comments:
Commercial speech is, by precedent, is only partly protected, so you're right; this is likely unwinnable.
Still, at the same time I think smoking to be vile and wouldn't protest the prohibition of tobacco, it's doubtful that warning labels have contributed to the growing disgrace of the cigarette.
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