Coming soon : Rhetoric

The truth is very damaging to the tobacco industry. From the point of view of public interest and public health, its activities are indefensible. That is why it uses various rhetorical strategies, together with its political and economic allies. These strategies aim to distort, rephrase, conceal, compare or generalize abusively, concede in order to better counterattack, discredit or reinforce its position. Exposing and cataloging these recurring tactics and patterns helps to undermine their effectiveness. Unfortunately, refuting (or debunking) false information is much more time-consuming and energy-intensive than producing it, as Brandolini explains with his principle of “bullshit asymmetry.”

This report reveals what lies behind the arguments used to defend advertising, normalization, and trade in tobacco products. There is a rhetorical structure based on fundamental principles: individual responsibility, the illusion of freedom, mobilizing concepts, and appeals to emotions. Describing and understanding these principles provides greater clarity, which is a step toward transparency.