Example Of Article Review On The Killer Effects Of Tobacco In Africa.

The Killer Effects of Tobacco in Africa.

The principal objective of this particular paper is to find an article that discusses an ethical issue that is recent within the last year. This document will state the ethical issue or issues being discussed. In this case, the paper looks into the effects of tobacco smoking in Africa which has claimed millions of life but have not been given preference as compared to Ebola outbreak in West Africa States. The paper will provide suggestion on what can be done to rectify the current situation and also indicate how the situation could have been avoided or prevented altogether. Furthermore, the paper will provide what the students learnt to do or not to do. It is so evident that has the number of companies producing tobacco expands into markets of Africa; it is therefore so true that the social, economic and health effects could be unprecedented.
The Ebola outbreak, which is caused by the Ebola virus has become the biggest and most worrying health related story reported from Africa by the main media houses in the world. Thousands of people have died from Ebola so far. It is instilling fear, outrage, urgency and the need to act among the various stakeholders. As Ebola dominates headlines, there is a pandemic that is slowly but surely sweeping the African population and has gone unnoticed for quite a long time. It is the killer effects of tobacco smoking whether directly through active smoke or indirectly through passive smoking. Estimates reveal that in every six seconds, tobacco claims a person life. In every two long-term users, tobacco claims an unprecedented life of one person. Estimated shows that, by the year 2100, it will have claimed 1billion people globally. It will be 200,000 times more than the current deaths caused by Ebola. Among these deaths, millions will come from the African continent (Jamison, 2012).
Many countries have so far passed laws that restrict the sale and marketing of tobacco products. Also, there is increasing awareness of the possible consequences of smoking tobacco and also the questioning of the ethics of tobacco producing companies. It has so far led to reduced sales of tobacco in the other continents except Africa where there are no so much restrictions. Africa has an untapped market influenced by an economic growth that is blossoming and a population that is youthful. The Tobacco producing companies do manipulate and blackmail African countries on possible losses in case they get restricted and also engage the existing governments in the corruption to continue expanding their business.
The companies do target new smokers as a marketing strategy. These smokers include youths and women. The methods of selling and marketing tobacco products such as sponsoring events that are youth-oriented and selling cigarettes in a single stick are methods against the international framework on tobacco smoking. They are also against the marketing principle that is mandatory for any company (Jamison, 2012).
Africa will continue dying a slow but sure death due to tobacco usage if an urgent measure is not taken to reverse the situation. Africa needs to review their policy and the laws that govern smoking. It is evident that most TTCs have perfected economic techniques and political tactics to influence, stall and where possible bypass the restrictions that affect their business. They have even resorted to brutal methods to enable their business to flourish. It is, therefore, high time that the western powers should walk the talk and save Africa rather than pass policies to keep their people and entirely ignore the African continent.

References

Jamison, D. T. (2012). Disease and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Washington, DC: World Bank.