Comparisons and Contrasts Between Marketing Techniques Used by the Tobacco Industry and Public Health Figures

The tobacco industry has long been known for its aggressive advertising techniques to promote its product to the general public; conversely the public health field has long been regarded as the main opposing force to the tobacco industry\u27s efforts. The public health field\u27s techniques of manipulating and presenting information has not been examined to the degree that the tobacco industry\u27s techniques have been due to public health\u27s mostly-accurate message regarding tobacco smoke. This review was performed by analyzing a variety of articles and academic sources focused on this subject. This review was conducted to examine as well as compare and contrast the methods used by both the industry and accredited public health officials and institutions. Neither the tobacco industry nor public health professionals can deny scientific findings or empirical evidence regarding tobacco smoke and its harmful qualities but that does not deter them from manipulating evidence or even producing their own contradictory studies. The tobacco industry\u27s public relation efforts to promote its product have long been a part of the industry\u27s history. It has also been shown that accredited health professionals (such as the Surgeon General) use manipulative methods to promote their bias on the issue of tobacco and smoking. Accredited health professionals display conflicts of interest when definitively shutting down any opposing opinions regarding the health risks involved with tobacco smoke. Because of the utmost importance of maintaining credibility in the public eye, both institutions must remain careful and tactful in their marketing techniques. The public, however, does not internalize the PR from the tobacco industry in the same way that it does the governmental institutions. While the government is rightfully protecting the public against the damages and harms of tobacco smoke, it is suppressing some of the potential research that can and should be conducted in order to further the public\u27s knowledge on the issue of tobacco smoke and its byproducts.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1087/thumbnail.jp