There's a whole lot of crazy going on in this world. Today's hot internet buzz is about the 2 year old smoking a cigarette in Indonesia that was caught on video by a visiting reporter (see video below). Ardi Rizal apparently is addicted to cigarettes; his father, who gave him his first cigarette when he was 18 months old, claims the toddler throws a tantrum if they don't comply. The Indonesian toddler smokes up to 40 cigarettes a day.
Although this alone is disturbing, consider this overwhelming statistic: 25% of Indonesian children between the ages of 3 to 15 have tried smoking. 3.2% of these are active smokers, and the trend is on the rise. 25% of boys ages 13 to 15 are addicted to smoking.
Indonesians love their cigarettes, and tobacco companies love Indonesians. They are the third largest tobacco consumer in the world. 33% of Indonesians smoke, including 63% of all males. 200,000 Indonesians die from smoking-related illnesses yearly. The economic disparity is significant in this country, with 21% of the population subsisting on less than US$1.25 per day. Single cigarettes can be purchased for a couple of cents, and packs are only a dollar.
Many have expressed outrage at this video, calling for the parents to be jailed. But in Indonesia, tobacco companies have absolutely no restrictions; they can advertise on television and on billboards. Tobacco companies sponsor scholarships for youth, popular sporting events, and even concerts aimed toward kids. Kelly Clarkson recently got heat for allowing a cigarette company to sponsor her concert; they were dropped finally because of pressure.
US based Philip Morris International is one of the top tobacco sellers in Indonesia and they have been guilty of the same advertising practices. Even though this type of advertising was banned in the United States over 30 years ago, Philip Morris still has no qualms about advertising towards kids when they can get away with it. They tried to sponsor Alicia Keys, having ads on billboards promoting the singer. After Keys herself denounced them, they finally took the ads off under pressure.
Some have introduced bills banning this type of advertising in Indonesia; because of strong opposition from the tobacco industry, they have not had much success.
In the US, many are opposed to governmental regulation of business. Robert, a Chicagoan, believes that regulations restrict free trade, and the market will correct itself eventually. But without regulations, corporations answer to one call - their stockholders and their profits. Regulations are necessary to prevent business from putting profits before public safety and health. Consider BP, Johnson & Johnson, and Wall Street; consider that Philip Morris should know better than to peddle their products to little kids that don't know any better. We can't rely on all businesses to do the right thing.
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Comments
Great report...it seems that the video has had a lot of response to it...otherwise it would not have been pulled. Tried to view it but it is no longer available. I can't believe that that Father thought it was okay to give his baby cigarettes. That is nuts, to put it mildly.
Wonder why MSNBC pulled it. I just saw it on the local ABC 11PM news.
Wow. Great article!
Wonder why MSNBC pulled it. I just saw it on the local ABC 11PM news.
The video was pulled off last night on the web, but I found another one and put it in. Not sure why they pulled it - perhaps it was too disturbing an image and they felt it might sway young children, as many people were commenting about the toddler "being cool" - quite sick.
This is horrifying! I can't believe anyone can even work at Phillip Morris in good conscience! It's embarrassing to me as an American to know that one of our companies is okay with their "product" harming children! Disgusting!
Ever heard of free speech? The correct way to treat businesses is the same way we should treat individuals. Just as businesses should be free to market products to whoever they want, individuals should have the right to agree or refuse to act on the information they receive. That's how freedom works - it may have some inherent things that should make people proceed with caution, but we don't have freedom because it's safe; we have it because it's what's right. As Americans, we want the right to live our lives however we want, so long as it doesn't impose on others' rights to do the same. We don't want goverment calling the shots in our personal lives - why let them do it in our professional lives? If Hershey's markets their chocolate bars so well that it makes half of Indonesia fat and acne-ridden, is it Hershey's fault for being so good at business, or is it the fault of chubby kids and their careless parents? Libertarian or tyrant - which are you?
Individual Liberty - appreciate your comment, but I think one doesn't have to be black or white; why not choose freedom with appropriate constraints on business when needed? Is it right to prey on young members of society? Would it be appropriate, for example, for Johnson & Johnson to sell a medicine to the public that may contain an addictive drug such as heroin? Perhaps it may help your initial symptoms, but it is incredibly addictive? Shouldn't there be some constraints on businesses to act in an ethical manner?
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