Danny van Ommen - PROFETH - February 1, 2001

1] Discuss the utilitarian, rights, justice, and care issues that are raised by Philip Morris's activities in the tobacco, beer, and food industries.

Utilitarian Issues: 
•	Philip Morris allegedly would modify the nicotine level obviously abusing the knowledge of the addictive properties of nicotine merely to gain more profit.
•	Philip Morris is trying to edge away from the tobacco industry to pursue a market share in other industries like food and beverages. This is a contingency to secure the company from impending downfall from the rising number of lawsuits attacking them from their activities in the tobacco and alcohol industries.
•	Their international expansion to lesser-developed nations proves to be more profitable. The benefits far outweigh the costs with a Third World market because the penalties are not as severe as in the United States.

Issues on Rights:
•	Lawsuits were filed for failing to warn consumers of health risks. Philip Morris argued that even if their products generated health risks, it was the individual’s right to willingly assume those risks. They claimed that smokers can quit any time they wanted to and that individuals should be left free to exercise their personal right to smoke when, where, and as much they choose.
•	With regards to their food business, Philip Morris has the right to engage and expand in this area because it has legitimately bought the food companies. Opponents argue that they ‘laundered’ and ‘tainted’ cigarette money to achieve their status in the food industry.

Issues on Justice:
•	In fairness to the damages caused by their products, Philip Morris faces demands to pay damages as health compensation to individuals who are suffering from tobacco and alcohol related calamities.

Care:
•	Philip Morris does not seem to genuinely care for their consumers. It is natural to assume that for a company that big to be more concerned about profits and expansion rather than prioritize in showing genuine care and concern for individuals' health and welfare.

2] Both the tobacco and the beer industries have been characterized as "sin industries." Comment on the extent to which virtue theory sheds light on the company’s activities in these industries.

The virtue of an individual's self-control is being put to the ultimate test by these industries. They invest in advertising to incite and tempt people to "join the club of the cool people". Once they do, people have a hard time quitting from the vice. A fact creatively exploited by companies such as Philip Morris.

3] What, in your judgement, would be a morally appropriate course of action for the government agencies involved in the case?

•	Heavy Campaigning to discouraging the usage of tobacco, alcohol and any other sort of soft drug.
•	Further work in education to increase awareness to the youth.
•	Quotas, Heavy Taxes, and strict control and monitoring over the production and distribution of tobacco and alcohol. 
•	Demand health compensation on behalf of all seeking recovery from damages.

•	Further inquiry and prosecution. Formulate stiff laws to back up their prosecution. If they can put a stockbroker into jail for merely using insider information, surely they should pull down a company for exploitation.
•	But most importantly, government officials themselves should set a better example since (I would assume) most government officials, if not all, are already hooked (or at least have got a taste) on tobacco and alcohol.