Hoek Janet
Department of Marketing, University of Otago, P O Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
Public Health. 2015 Aug;129(8):1038-45. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2015.03.009. Epub 2015 May 5.
To examine the 'nanny state' arguments used by tobacco companies, explore the cognitive biases that impede smokers' ability to make fully informed choices, and analyse the implications for those working to limit the harmful effects of other risk products.
A critical analysis of the practices engaged in by the tobacco industry, the logic on which they relied, and the extent to which their work has informed approaches used by other industries.
The tobacco industry's deliberate strategy of challenging scientific evidence undermines smokers' ability to understand the harms smoking poses and questions arguments that smoking is an informed choice. Cognitive biases predispose smokers to discount risk information, particularly when this evidence is disputed and framed as uncertain. Only state intervention has held the tobacco industry to account and begun ameliorating the effects of their sustained duplicity. Evidence other industries are now adopting similar tactics, particularly use of 'nanny state' claims to oppose proportionate interventions, is concerning.
Some marketing strategies have deliberately mis-informed consumers thus directly contributing to many public health problems. Far from removing free choice, government policies that restrain commercial communications and stimuli are prerequisites necessary to promote free choice.
审视烟草公司所使用的“保姆国家”论调，探究阻碍吸烟者做出充分知情选择的认知偏差，并分析其对致力于限制其他风险产品有害影响的工作人员的启示。
对烟草行业的做法、其所依赖的逻辑以及其工作对其他行业所采用方法的影响程度进行批判性分析。
烟草行业蓄意质疑科学证据的策略，破坏了吸烟者理解吸烟危害的能力，并对吸烟是一种知情选择的观点提出质疑。认知偏差使吸烟者倾向于忽视风险信息，尤其是当这一证据存在争议且被表述为不确定时。只有国家干预才能让烟草行业承担责任，并开始减轻其长期欺诈行为的影响。有证据表明，其他行业目前也在采用类似策略，尤其是利用“保姆国家”的说法来反对适度干预，这令人担忧。
一些营销策略故意向消费者提供错误信息，从而直接导致了许多公共卫生问题。限制商业宣传和刺激手段的政府政策远非消除自由选择，而是促进自由选择所必需的先决条件。
