Questions:
Many retail experts think this the way all cigarettes are sold in the future. What do you think?
Roscoe says his stores are just there to serve the market. Do you agree with his right to do this? Do you agree with his decision to do this?
Using the above information, do you think selling cigarettes is ethical in any situation?
Response:
Personally, I would say that, the effort of a company in controlling the underage customers to purchase cigarettes or placing signage saying “No Minors Allowed Inside” is a good way to promote positive result, good health for everyone especially young people. In addition, to ban cigarettes or to stop selling tobacco in some public areas, and providing the reasons why cigarettes should be banned, is one way to educate people about the bad effects. With the perspective of many retail experts, it is possible that it will happen in the future, that is, the way to sell cigarettes. In fact, it already started; one of the largest pharmacy chains in the United States announced that in October the company would stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products. It is the first time to witness the major change that would sacrifice billions of sales for the sake of public health. The company believed that cigarettes have no place in the environment where it delivers healthcare to the public in general.
It is Roscoe’s right to view or decide such way; his business is doing well, the market really benefitted from the sales of tobacco products, and many people earned money from their jobs. For Roscoe, I would say that it is just a legal business, nothing more nothing less. If we talk about rights, every person is entitled to any right implemented; however, the idea to say that the Roscoe’s reason is to just serve the market, in my opinion it contradicts with his concerned for minors in particular.
Selling cigarettes is somehow ethical in a situation wherein it does not violate rules in legal business. However, it is undeniably that selling cigarettes have ethical dilemmas to the public and the environment, and most especially to minors. Study shows that, about 80 percent of the retailers find it unethical to sell cigarettes to minors, about 37 percent of the total market with 16 percent growth rate annually.
Retailers or companies are bound to sell tobacco products as without selling the products that decrease the earnings. Alternatively, selling cigarettes to minors is not an intention, and in denial to visualize the negative effects. I would say that the retailers or companies have the support morally; however, it requires strict law enforcement, and an overall awareness. The public should work together with the assistance of the authority or government to succeed to its common goals, the proper way to minimize selling of tobacco products or a complete ban to every area necessary.
Reference
Herper, M. (2014, February 5). Kicking The Habit: CVS To Stop Selling Tobacco, Sacrificing
$2 Billion In Sales For Public Health And Future Growth. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2014/02/05/cvs-to-stop-selling-tobacco-sacrificing-2-billion-in-sales-for-public-health-and-future-growth/.
Islam, T. (2012). Ethics Pops up, Economy Constrains: Ethical Dilemma of . European Journal
of Business and Management , 4 (2), 1-10.
