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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Johannes KniessORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
The idea of a ‘tobacco-free generation’ promises to make smoking a thing of the past by making cigarettes unavailable to birth cohorts in the future. If implemented, such a generational ban would lead to a society in which some individuals are allowed the freedom to smoke while others are not. This paper examines the ethical significance of this fact through the lens of ‘relational egalitarianism’, an approach to social justice that emphasises equal and respectful social relationships. It explores various dimensions in which a society can fail to live up to the idea of equal status, such as the denial of moral agency, discrimination, stigmatisation, the unequal recognition of interests and violations of political equality. While acknowledging the complexity of practical and ethical challenges, the paper maintains that the generational ban need not violate egalitarian commitments.
Author(s): Kniess J
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Medical Ethics
Year: 2024
Pages: epub ahead of print
Online publication date: 29/10/2024
Acceptance date: 19/10/2024
Date deposited: 05/11/2024
ISSN (print): 0306-6800
ISSN (electronic): 1473-4257
Publisher: BMJ
URL: https://doi.org/10.1136/jme-2024-110209
DOI: 10.1136/jme-2024-110209
Data Access Statement: No data are available
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