Reasons Why Anti-Smoking Campaigns Have Been Largely Ineffectual in Curbing Teen Smoking - Research Paper Example

Reasons Why Anti-Smoking Campaigns Have Been Largely Ineffectual In Curbing Teen Smoking Introduction Smoking is a common practice amongst teens. This is irrespective of the great opposition towards teen smoking, which has led to adoption of different strategies aimed at discontinuing teen smoking. In U.S., there have been several programs and policies aimed at discouraging people, especially the teenagers from using tobacco. One major strategy adopted has been antismoking campaigns, which are often school based or conducted through the media. For many years, there have been several advertisements aimed at curbing teen smoking. However, these strategies remain ineffective since teenagers continue to smoke irrespective of the numerous antismoking campaigns. Additionally, teenagers continue to be influenced to start smoking through marketing strategies used by tobacco industry. There are several reasons why antismoking advertisements remain ineffective in curbing teen smoking. This paper focuses on these reasons. The paper will entail use of introspection, data collection, and analysis and make recommendations on how the advertisements could be improved. Overview of the Topic Although, I am not a smoker, I have several young friends who started smoking at very young stages. Additionally, I have always had great concern on why anti-smoking campaigns have not eliminated teen smoking. Most young people engage in smoking at a very tender age. Some end up becoming addicted, which makes them vulnerable to the numerous smoking related diseases. To prevent addiction and such ailments, there have been several campaigns and funds set aside to curb smoking among the teenagers. This is because this is the stage at which quitting would be easier since continuous smoking leads to addiction making it hard for smokers to quit. From as early as in the 1960’s, several antismoking advertisements were adopted. Most advertisements are aimed at controlling smoking practices amongst teenagers. In United States, most advertisements are designed with the aim of educating the young people on the negative impacts of smoking. Most advertisements are fear-based and aimed at informing young people of the negative impact of smoking. The programs are at times included in counseling schemes in schools. In other cases, the government uses funds to finance airing of information aimed at alerting young people of the dangers of smoking. Although there has been great focus on antismoking campaigns through different media, several young people continue smoking. Moreover, there is no evidence to show that any campaigns convince the teens to quit smoking. Some studies show that the campaigns are ineffective and could have at times encouraged the young people to smoke. Some of these campaigns are conducted by the tobacco industry itself. It is illogical how a company manufacturing a product would be able to convince the users that the product is dangerous. Therefore, most of the advertisements are just a protocol used by the tobacco industry to convince the policy makers that the industry is following the regulations (Wakefield, Flay and Giovino 233-237). Additionally, cigarettes are sold at extremely low prices, which make them affordable to the teens wanting to experiment. Introspection and Data Collection Whenever I listen or watch anti-smoking advertisement, the first thing I try to figure out is the persons behind the advertisement. In case the advertisement is designed by the tobacco industry, I always ask myself how someone would make a product and then try to convince the users not to use the product. This makes me think that the campaigns could be untruthful and carried out ineffectively since they condemn the use of a product that they manufacture and export greatly for the benefit of the nation. Another aspect that makes me to consider the antismoking campaigns unbelievable is their nature. Most used antismoking campaign strategy is advertisements. The advertisements appear unrealistic to me. The advertisements used to market cigarettes are more convincing. In most cases, the cigarette advertisements associate smoking with healthy, athletic outlook. The persons doing the advertisements appear appealing such that anyone watching the advertisements would wish to appear the same way. However, anti-smoking advertisements are unrealistic. Some of them display skeletons to display the effects. In my opinion, such images are less likely to deter young people from using cigarettes. In school, I have watched and attended some antismoking campaigns, some of which were government funded. The campaigns mentioned numerous disadvantages of smoking and I never heard of any advantage of smoking. The question that came into my mind was why the government would not consider banning manufacture and use of tobacco if it were as dangerous as the opponents conducting the campaigns argued. The fact that the same government discouraging teen smoking benefits from export of the tobacco products makes it unbelievable that the government believes tobacco as adverse effects on the smokers as the campaigns suggest. From experience, I have learnt that cigarette companies do not need to advertise their products directly to recruit the youths into smoking. After watching several movies, I have realized how easy it can be to get the teenagers to start smoking. In some movies, the actors smoke in a way that makes smoking appear a noble practice. As I once watched the movie referred to as Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio smoked almost throughout the entire movie. Most teens view actors and other celebrities as their idols. I was attracted to his style of smoking and wondered how many other teens admired Leonardo’s style of smoking. Since most youth enjoy watching movies, which do not condemn smoking the anti-smoking campaigns are less likely to dissuade such youths from smoking (“More Movies to Include Anti-Smoking PSAs to Protect Children's Health" Web). My research entailed asking some of my peers who are smokers why advertisements have not deterred them from smoking. The research methodology I applied entailed meeting up with each one of them for a brief interview. The interview entailed asking them how they viewed antismoking advertisements and why they did not deter them from smoking. Another question regarded the reasons why they got into smoking. Most young people start smoking out of peer pressure. Other start smoking due to the desire to experiment what they have seen others do. Some claimed that they watched advertisement promoting cigarettes and were curious and thus decided to try it out. Additionally, some cigarette manufacturing companies continue to sponsor youth activities such as sport. Such moves end up creating an environment where youths are exposed to advertisements encouraging smoking. Most teens claim that the government would consider banning manufacture of tobacco products if they were as dangerous as the opponents of smoking argue. They claim that the government continues to obtain large amounts of revenue from taxing tobacco products. Others argued that there is freedom of choice and they should thus be allowed to use whatever they want. If it is harmful, they will learn from their own experiences. Most of my peers that I interviewed believe that the health risks of smoking depicted in antismoking campaigns are exaggerated. They are thus not convinced that smoking is as risky as argued. Some argued that some of the advantages of smoking are overlooked. One of the interviewee claimed that smoking reduces the risk of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. When asked if they would smoke in public, which is likely to expose other people to the side effects of smoking, most agreed that they would avoid that. However, a few argued that there is extreme exaggeration of the effects of secondhand smoke, which makes antismoking campaigns unbelievable. Moreover, most of the youths claimed that the antismoking advertisements are less likely to influence their choices to smoke or not to. Analysis Existing literature demonstrates examples of experiments that have been conducted with the aim of establishing why anti-smoking advertisements as well as school based antismoking campaigns were ineffective in deterring teenagers from smoking. The studies show that U.S. benefits greatly from exportation of tobacco. Therefore, campaigns, especially those conducted by the tobacco industry cannot strongly condemn the practice especially in the third world countries where most of the tobaccos is marketed (Hye-Jin Paek, et al 5-8). Since some teens believe that anti-smoking advertisements are over exaggerated, they are less likely to be convinced to quit smoking through use of some programs. Additionally, existence of some alleged benefits of smoking makes it possible for some teens to justify their smoking. Most advertisements aimed at deterring teenagers are ineffective especially those sponsored by tobacco industry. This is because the advertisements avoid including strong antismoking themes such as the health effects of smoking. According to Wakefield, Fray and Nichter (235-236) most teenagers get to understand the messages used in antismoking campaigns long after they have been influenced by their peers to get into smoking. However, the tobacco promotion advertisements are understood by the teens. (Wakefield, Flay and Giovino 234-238). Marketing Implications That Arise From Your Analysis The advertisements used to advertise tobacco products are more appealing and convincing as compared to antismoking advertisements. Additionally, the companies that manufacture and market the products are expected to fund advertisements advising to avoid using the product. This is practically impossible. This is because the companies are established with the aim of making profits. Additionally, most people start smoking when at the young stage and the industry will prefer targeting this group to ensure they retain their profits (By Web). Therefore, the most significant stage for cigarette manufacturers to recruit smokers is at the teenage stage. It is thus impractical to expect the companies to concentrate on deterring the teenagers from smoking. This is because the aim of the companies is to maximize on their profits. From the analysis, it is clear that expecting the tobacco industry to sponsor antismoking campaigns is likely to yield no considerable results. This is because the same company aims at maximizing their profits through marketing of tobacco products (Buckham 1). Therefore, they are likely to ensure that the antismoking campaigns do not concentrate on the negative impacts of smoking. On the other hand, the industry is likely to ensure that promotional strategies continue targeting the teens since this is the most appropriate way through which the industry can ensure that it remains in business in future (Amarnath Web). Conclusion and Recommendations Irrespective of the many antismoking campaigns, the number of teenagers who continues to smoke remains high. Although other organization sponsor antismoking advertisements, the advertisements sponsored by the tobacco industry have been shown to increase smoking amongst teenagers other than reduce it. This is because the same industry sponsors tobacco-marketing advertisements. From the interviews conducted, it was clear that the advertisements promoting sale of tobacco products are more appealing as compared to the antismoking advertisements. Additionally, the teens believe that the antismoking advertisements are characterized by exaggerations, which makes them unbelievable. If the antismoking advertisements are to be successful in deterring teens from smoking, they require being more realistic. Additionally, requiring the tobacco industry to sponsor advertisements against their product is unreasonable and is likely to yield unsatisfactory results. There is thus need for creation of an appropriate social political and economic environment to ensure that the efforts to curb teen smoking are successful. This could be through enactments of more strict rules to prohibit sale of tobacco products to teens. Fines on persons found selling cigarettes to teenager should be stricter. Additionally, the antismoking messages should be more sincere. The government should consider banning of advertisements that promote tobacco products in an appealing manner. Although the U.S. government has imposed heavy taxes on tobacco products, most people view this as a way of encouraging use of tobacco since it is likely to inspire tobacco industry to focus on increasing their sales (Cummings 7349-7353 ). The most effective ways of doing so is recruiting more teenagers since this is the stage when most people start smoking. Therefore, the federal government should consider other measures that will help display smoking as an unscrupulous practice. There is also need for increased involvement of nongovernmental organizations as well as the government in antismoking campaigns. This is because other bodies have become reluctant in antismoking campaigns and expect the tobacco industry to take the initiative which likely to yield less results. Works Cited "More Movies to Include Anti-Smoking PSAs to Protect Children's Health." PR NewswireABI/INFORM Complete. Jul 11 2008. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. Amarnath, Nupur. How to make Anti-Smoking Campaigns Work [ET Cetera]. The Economic Times (Online) ABI/INFORM Complete. Jan 09 2012. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. Buckham, T. (2007, May 30). Exhibits Detail Years of Anti-Smoking Cartoons. McClatchy - Tribune Business News, pp. 1. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/464100352?accountid=45049 By, Kevin. Anti-Smoking Group Campaigns against Teen Idols over Photos. Wall Street Journal: 0. ABI/INFORM Complete. Dec 01 1992. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. Cummings, Michael. Programs And Policies To Discourage The Use Of Tobacco Products. Oncogene, Volume 21, Number 48 (2002): 7349-7364. Hye-Jin Paek, et al. Theories into Practice: A Content Analysis of Anti-Smoking Websites. Internet Research 21.1 (2011): 5-25. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. Wakefield, Melanie, Brian Flay and Gary Giovino. Effects of Anti-Smoking Advertising on Youth Smoking: A Review. Journal of Health Communications, Vol 8 (2003): 229-247. Read More