Harvard University recently sold most of its investments in tobacco companies. The investments were ...

Neither Harvard nor the tobacco companies are doing anything illegal. Cigarettes are still lawful products in the United States and around the world, so the product is not illegal. Harvard's actions are a reflection of how the investment makes them feel because of the medical harm to individuals and the aggressive marketing techniques. Under the moral reasoning process, Harvard uses the moral standard that they do not want to be associated with any activity that causes significant harm to other human beings. Data indicate that smoking produces such harm. Without divestiture, Harvard would be unethical since there is harm to individuals. The tobacco firms could apply the same reasoning process but have not. Their data indicate the harm is not clear and they have not reached the Harvard conclusion. Furthermore, there are other moral standards such as the freedom to choose on the part of the consumer that creates conflicts for the tobacco companies' moral reasoning process. Their attitude under Blanchard/Peale appears to stop after the question of whether the activity is legal.