Effect of cancer medical research on tobacco industry - Case Study Example

Effect of cancer medical research on tobacco industry; a case study By Medical research has associated various cancerous forms with the tobacco products. These have impacted negatively on the sale of such products in various parts of the world. Tobacco products have been considered the biggest cause of cancer in the globe yet it can be prevented. Despite causing cancer, smoking is associated with other conditions such as lung and heart problems. Medical research has indicated that most smokers will succumb to cancer related conditions in middle age compared to the non smokers (Mackay & Eriksen, 2002). Smoking has been associated with several forms of cancer such as lung, esophagus, larynx, pharynx and many more. The paper seeks to explain the negative effect of the cancer medical research on the tobacco industry and how the industry has restrategized to deal with it. One of the challenges the industry face is the sale of such products with the world educating people against smoking. The industry has lost many customers due to the association of their products with disease conditions. Addicted smokers are also seeking better ways of rehabilitation (Mackay & Eriksen, 2002). Despite the industry contesting against the findings of medical researchers, Reynolds is the only company that accepted liability in court for the ill health caused to the non smokers. Evidence has suggested however that the company has for many years discovered the effect of the products to the health of the people but concealed the evidence in the previous years. Continued health education on the health effects of smoking has reduced sales of the products in many countries especially western Europe. The sale has declined or remained stagnant as the company finds new ways such as targeting the young people and the developing countries where people are not well informed about the effect. The number of years spend in smoking is vital than the number of cigarette smoked. Possible solutions One of the possible solutions to the industry is selling tobacco products to the young people and women. As noted by WHO (2008) early smokers start as early as age of 10. Therefore as the tobacco industry faces a lot of challenges, they are compelled to majorly target the youths and women in the society. Teenagers are assumed to be the potential future consumers of tobacco because they are greatly impressionable and in most communities they have significant amount of money at their disposal (Mackay & Eriksen, 2002). For this reason, they are easily impressed by any company where the consumption and brand of products are good. Despite many of the tobacco industry’s products killing many customers and forcing others to quit, they make sure they have a new target to consume their products. This is why they go for the young people since they will take a longer span before dying or eventually quitting hence increasing chances of continued sales Generally, women smoke less than the potential smokers; men. It is dangerous to the unborn but still tobacco industry considers women as the untapped group which if tapped can increase and improve its consumption than in men. Hence, unchecked and their greatest motive being profit making, tobacco industries inconsiderably targets the children and women whom they believe can increase the likelihood of continued sales. Most people in developed countries are informed about the effect of cigarette smoking on their health unlike those in developing countries. Recently, the danger imposed to people’s health by tobacco intake has been confirmed and since they knew this long time ago, but have been attempting not to disclose this research (Mackay & Eriksen, 2002). Other nations for instance US have always had the political will and resources to deal with the tobacco’s large corporations. However, rich countries that have smaller but tougher markets have made multinational firms dealing with tobacco to intensify their efforts in different regions especially Asia to keep up the growth and selling of cigarettes alongside expanding advertisement to increase level of demand if not to meet it completely. This has been successful because about 1.3 billion accounting for 84% smokers are found living in developing nations as noted by world health organization. The company has utilized a number of public relations and applied SWOT analysis in marketing of their products in other countries especially the developing country. The industry has in the process continued to market their products despite the health education concerns raised. Some of the strategies employed a few years ago targeted confusing the public on smoking and health information. Selling the tobacco products to the young people in various parts of the world has limitations and advantages. One of the advantages is that the industry is able to sell their products to them and get profits in returns (Mackay & Eriksen, 2002). Most youths smokes as a result of peer pressure and are not concerned about their health compared to the adults. Targeting the youths is however changing with effects of smoking education being introduced in schools at an early age of development. Youths are becoming more and more educated and soon the industry will have to look for other strategies towards marketing their products. Selling tobacco products to developing nations has been a strategy of many tobacco multinational corporations for many years. Most developing nations have weak policies targeting the selling of the product and corruption is highly practiced in many of this country (Mackay & Eriksen, 2002). More of this countries are however becoming empowered through education and some nongovernmental organizations within the regions are partnering with the health sectors to educate the people against smoking. Selling tobacco in developing countries may increase the performance of the industry even though the move may not last for long. The solution may be relevant to the industry but with continued education it will still be a challenge in the future. Tobacco industry has come up with strategies to promote implementation of the solutions to ensure proper utilization of the opportunity provided by the market in the developing countries (Mackay & Eriksen, 2002). Tobacco industry has many threats towards its market. Marketing strategies should focus on countering the effects of this threat. The threats entail heavy legislations that bur the trade of the products. Most tobacco companies in developing nation have utilized corruption as a mean of marketing their products. The company has to maximize on the weaknesses presented and minimize on the opportunities such as available market in the selling of the products. Reference Mackay, J., & Eriksen, M. 2002. The tobacco atlas. World Health Organization. Read More