smoking

Cigarette smoking should be banned in the United States Key Terms: Second hand smoke: a mixture of the smoke exhaled by smokers and the smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe. Also known as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), passive, or involuntary smoke. http://www.medicinenet.com... Claim 1: If the government does have a stronger voice and can make choices regarding the health of our country, cigarette smoking should be banned in the US. The safety and health of each individual should be most important to a society as a whole and according to the National Cancer Institute cigarette smoking causes a lot of harm to the body. The National Cancer Institute also found that 87% of lung cancer deaths were caused by tobacco and is also a cause of lung and heart disease, stroke, and cataracts. Cigarette smoking may also cause pregnancy problems which can cause harm to the mother and the baby. Yes, people do participate in activities that may cause themselves harm, but second hand smoke causes harm to those who do not choose this activity. For instance, children do not have the option to ride in the car with their parents. If their parents smoke in the car, they take in the second hand smoke and may have complications or health issues in the future. If all of these affects of smoking can be prevented, they should be. On regards to obesity and fatty foods, yes there are not laws saying we can not eat them and we can eat whatever we choose, but restaurants are incorporating healthier choices and even nutrition labels. A tax on sodas and sugary drinks was also purposed. If there was a tax on unhealthy foods and 3,000 lives would be saved, think of number of lives that would be saved from the banning of cigarettes. The government does have the responsibility to protect its population, but also defend their freedom of choice and that is understandable. But when lung cancer and any other disease can possibly be prevented it should be. http://www.cancer.gov... Claim 2: Many people who do smoke are law-abiding citizens who want to quit and would not commit crimes because cigarettes are banned. Smokers can not be correlated with increased crime rates and if those who did smoke, quit, who can determine they are likely to commit crimes? That is an unfair assumption to make. Yes, people may obtain new habits to prevent them from smoking, but instead of something as outrageous as committing crimes they may change their eating habits, find new hobbies, or frequent the gym more often. Here are a few suggestions for quitting and committing to it. http://www.cancer.org... Yes, smokers do choose this habit, but they do not always choose to be addicted. According to the American Heart Association, Nicotine is an addictive drug. It causes changes in the brain that make people want to use it more and more. In addition, addictive drugs cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. The good feelings that result when an addictive drug is present — and the bad feelings when it's absent — make breaking any addiction very difficult. Nicotine addiction has historically been one of the hardest addictions to break. Once we are addicted, it is up to us to quit, but we do not always choosing to be addicted. If we are addicted it is not so much are decision to continue to smoke, so banning tobacco use would be beneficial in eliminating the addiction and obstacles of quitting that smokers face. http://www.americanheart.org... Claim 3: If governments are responsible for the tax revenue they obtain from tobacco sales, they can be responsible for finding new areas for revenue and ban smoking. They government cares about the health of a society as a whole and has the power to encourage and even force smokers to quit. I will agree the government will lose revenue from these sales, but health should be most important. Banning smoking would benefit the health of the American people and encourage healthier lifestyles which should make even more reason for this issue to be considered.