Essay About Harmful Effects Of Smoking And Tobacco Products

Harmful Effects of Smoking
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Every year thousands of people die because of lung cancer or other tobacco related
illnesses. Everyone in the world comes in contact with smoke from a cigarette at least
once in their lifetime, whether it is at a restaurant or at work. Millions of people are
addicted to smoking, and thousands more become addicted every year. Cigarettes and
other tobacco products are everywhere. Most of the addicted smokers started when they
were young (Roberts 18). The reason why people get addicted to any type of tobacco
product is because all tobacco products have nicotine in them, which is the addictive
ingredient (American Thoracic Society 22). Every time a person smokes a cigarette or
chews tobacco, that person ingests nicotine. I believe that the tobacco companies should
be liable for every tobacco-related death each year.
On the other hand, some people believe that everyone has a right to make their
own judgment about their life. My opponent, Rosalind Marimont argues drugs and
alcohol are more dangerous to society than tobacco (26). Second hand smoking is not a
danger to the health of the community (Marimont 26). There are health benefits for
people that do smoke tobacco (Marimont 27). So many people quit smoking each year, it
is so ridiculous to think that tobacco products are addicting argues Richard DeGrandpre
(39). The facts about tobacco and tobacco products have been shaded by the government
and government agencies to make smoking less acceptable and more inconvenient to
smokers and tobacco users Sullum argues (55). My opponents firmly believe that there
are no risks if a person starts smoking. As you will see, I will show extenuating facts that
disprove my opponents views on tobacco products.
My opponent states that smoking is not dangerous, however, I intend to
prove that smoking is dangerous not just to smokers, but to everyone as well. It is a
proven fact that smoking causes lung cancer and heart disease (American Thoracic Society
19). Every person that breathes the smoke of tobacco products is at risk for
tobacco-related illnesses. Even though smoking is not as publicized by the media as much
as illegal drugs, cigarettes are just as bad. Smoking cigarettes leads to the use of other
drugs that are more harmful to the person than cigarettes (Hall 22). If smoking was not
dangerous, then why is there a commercial on television telling the viewer that the tobacco
companies kill 1000 people everyday? The statistics on the number of people that die
each year in the United States from tobacco or tobacco-related illness is astonishing. Over
four hundred thousand people die each year from smoking (American Thoracic Society
19). Also, a person age twenty-five that is a heavy smoker has a life expectancy that is
twenty-five percent less than a person that does not smoke (American Thoracic Society
19). more For something that is not a hazard to people’s health, they sure do account for
a lot of deaths that occur each year.
I do not see how my opponent can contend that secondhand smoke is not a heath
hazard to the rest of the community. Secondhand smoke affects everyone because it goes
into the air. We (nonsmokers) can not protect ourselves from other people’s cigarette
smoke (Garrision 44). Everyone breaths, therefore, if you are sitting next to someone that
smokes, you are probably getting a some smoke in your lungs. This happens because
when smoke goes into the air,