Should Smoking be Banned?

Smoking is considered one of the greatest causes of premature death and illness- a worldwide phenomenon. It is also referred to as slow death that kills a person at a slow pace without even realizing that one is a dead man walking. Smoking is very common among youths where many may agree or disagree that smoking should be banned. In my opinion, smoking is harmful to ones health as it adversely affects one's immunity as well as the environment at large. Research shows that about 10,000 people die in the UK due to smoking as well as smoking-related deaths such as cancer, heart disease and more. Also according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cigarette smoking causes more than480, 000 deaths each year in the United States. Although many may argue that smoking is dangerous, less among teenagers may say that smoking has its advantages. Many claim that smoking helps them relax, lessen stress and improve concentration. Teenagers smoke before exams or before interviews to help them gain confidence. Despite the positive sensation associated with smoking, I would support a quote from King James I that states, Smoking are hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, and dangerous to the lungs.

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Smoking should be banned as one of its major outcomes is death.

According to CDC fact sheet on Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking, cigarette smoking is the leading cause of death in the United States. Smoking causes more deaths each year than HIV, illegal drug use, motor vehicle injuries and alcohol use. Ten times more of the U.S citizens have died from cigarette smoking than they have died fighting wars during history.

Smoking causes 90% of all deaths associated with lung cancer among both men and women. Similarly research shows that more women die of lung cancer each year than breast cancer. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is one of the major leading in deaths as an outcome of cigarette smoking where the death rate is 80%.

Smokers develop heart diseases, stroke, and lung cancer leading to death. Smoking is estimated to increase the risk of coronary heart disease by 2 to 4 times and stroke by 2 to 4 times as well.

Smoking causes immediate and rapid effects on the brain. Part of the addictive power of nicotine or cigarette comes from its direct impact on the brain. In addition to the well-known chemical dependency, cigarette users also show evidence of a higher rate of behavioral shortcomings where smoking increases stress. Contrary to what most people know, smoking does not relieve stress.

Studies have shown and proven that smokers have the highest probability of stress than nonsmokers. Smokers tend to have a feeling of relaxation while smoking which is a return to the natural unstressed state of non-smokers.

Also,smoking alters the respiratory system that include the passages from the nose to sinuses into the smallest airways of the lungs. All these spaces can be affected simultaneously by cigarette or tobacco smoking as they are in direct communication with one another. A persistent cough is one of the body 's natural response to clear all irritants from the body. The only defense against the harmful products of cigarette or tobacco to smokers is a persistent, irritating cough that do not go away. A persistent cough can be so uncomfortable and mostly painful, injuring the lungs and damaging them.

About the respiratory system, smoking decreases physical performance. When the body is very active for instance running or engaging in field activities, it requires more oxygen to be delivered to active muscles. The combination of bronchospasm and decreased lung function leads to poor physical performance. Smoking has also shown to stunt lung development in teenage girls limiting adult breathing capacity. Not only does smoking limits ones current state of fitness but also restricts future physical potential.

In conclusion, smoking is proven to be harmful to health and should be banned as it adversely affects ones immunity as well as the community at large. Smoking also can damage fertility and impotence to some men as well as women during pregnancies. Therefore smoking should be prohibited and people should be made aware of the outcomes. Advice to smokers to quit before it is too late should be given as well. To the smokers, there are benefits of quitting smoking that begin straightaway by first reducing the risk of getting a serious illness. There are high chances of life expectancy if you quit smoking before the age of 35. Catherine Heigl quotes and says, Smoking sucks! The one thing I would say to my kid is, 'It's not just that it is bad for you. Do you want to spend the rest of your life fighting a stupid addiction to a stupid thing that doesn't even really give you a good buzz?' Also, to those fighting with smoking craving should learn from Mark Twain who said that giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world because he had done it thousands of times.

References

Western Australia. (2003). The effects of smoking on the body. Perth: Dept. of Health.