title: The case for banning cigarettes.
abstract: Lifelong smokers lose on average a decade of life vis-à-vis non-smokers. Globally, tobacco causes about 5-6 million deaths annually. One billion tobacco-related deaths are predicted for the 21st century, with about half occurring before the age of 70. In this paper, we consider a complete ban on the sale of cigarettes and find that such a ban, if effective, would be justified. As with many policy decisions, the argument for such a ban requires a weighing of the pros and cons and how they impact on different individuals, both current and future. The weightiest factor supporting a ban, we argue, is the often substantial well-being losses many individuals suffer because of smoking. These harms, moreover, disproportionally affect the disadvantaged. The potential gains in well-being and equality, we argue, outweigh the limits a ban places on individuals' freedom, its failure to respect some individuals' autonomous choice and the likelihood that it may, in individual cases, reduce well-being.
authors.affiliation: Department of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, University of Umeå, Umea, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kalle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grill
authors.affiliation: Ethox Centre, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, UK Institute for Health and Social Policy & Department of Philosophy, McGill University, Canada.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Voigt
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D028663:Ethical Theory; D040261:Harm Reduction; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011634:Public Health / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000401:mortality; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D019460:Tobacco Industry / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
keywords: Autonomy; Population Policy; Public Health Ethics; Public Policy