Smoking Argumentative Essay Example
Smoking Argumentative Essay Example

Smoking Argumentative Essay Example

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  • Pages: 6 (1473 words)
  • Published: September 19, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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Since the era of Elizabethan, the popularity of smoking tobacco has been evident. Today, countless individuals are deliberately harming themselves by simply lighting up a paper-wrapped tobacco and inhaling its smoke. Despite such harmful effects, people continue to engage in smoking due to various reasons like personal rights to smoke or abstain, along with substantial financial gains associated with this profitable industry. This essay will delve into these issues - examining why individuals choose to smoke and what motivates them towards it. Generally speaking, addiction is typically at the heart of these queries. I firmly believe that a considerable number of smokers are primarily addicted to nicotine present in cigarettes.

After turning into smokers, individuals develop a dependency. The addictive nature of nicotine, which is more potent than cocaine, makes quitting extremely challenging. But what trig

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gers the onset? Different elements lead to some people initiating smoking. A crucial factor that sways younger folks is the connection with "The Look." They may view smoking as "cool" and think it gives them an impression of maturity. Furthermore, peer influence has substantial weight in starting smoking behaviors among teenagers trying to blend into particular groups or gangs.

Multiple factors like job-related stress might push adults to initiate smoking. While individuals who smoke have every right to use tobacco-filled, paper-wrapped cigarettes, those who do not smoke hold the equal right to stay clear of the secondhand smoke produced by thoughtless smokers. Secondhand smoking happens when non-smokers breathe in the smoke released by others. The effects can be harsh, potentially causing a less severe type of lung cancer. Roy Castle is an illustration of someone who succumbed due to secondhand smoking; he

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developed lung cancer from inhaling smoke while performing on his trumpet at a nightclub despite never having smoked himself. In contemporary society, we strive significantly to dodge smoke if that's what we decide.

Restaurants specify non-smoking zones, and establishments such as movie theaters, soccer stadiums, and airports enforce a stringent 'no smoking' rule. This is not just for health considerations but also safety measures. Smokers typically exhaust more than ?1,200 annually on cigarettes – a staggering statistic that underscores why the tobacco industry is among the world's biggest. It's not solely the tobacco corporations reaping profits from others' misery and potential fatalities; every cigarette pack sold contributes a hefty 17.1% tax to government coffers.

Despite the known health risks, the tobacco industry remains highly profitable due to strong cigarette sales and shows no sign of curbing these. Advertising significantly contributes to this sector's revenue generation. Evidence of this can be seen in Formula 1 car decals, outdoor billboards, and ironically on warning signs meant to deter smokers, though they are frequently overlooked. However, it is primarily through TV commercials and depictions in films that younger audiences may be drawn into starting smoking.

Individuals frequently mimic their beloved movie stars and idols, perceiving smoking as a "cool" act. Besides exploring the reasons for smoking and efforts to evade secondhand smoke, it's essential to highlight the detrimental and occasionally lethal effects of smoking. Each year, countless individuals succumb to diseases related to smoking. Lung cancer is the predominant cause of these deaths. The build-up of tar in one's lungs can be deadly, resulting in death or necessitating lung amputation in some lucky instances - though this is hardly a

desirable result.

Heart disease, a lesser-known but lethal condition, can also arise from smoking. Alongside these life-threatening outcomes, there are non-lethal repercussions of smoking as well. These could include distinct odors since the clothes and hair of smokers typically have a strong smell of smoke. Smokers might also experience yellowing fingers where their fingertips and nails turn yellow - this discoloration may impact their teeth too. Furthermore, although it's not as harmful, weight loss could be another consequence of smoking.

Cigarettes can serve as a food substitute, potentially causing weight loss and even anorexia due to smoking. The law stringently forbids anyone under the age of sixteen from buying cigarettes from newsstands or any other shops. Similarly to alcohol-related laws, legal repercussions await those found purchasing cigarettes for underage individuals. Shopkeepers who violate these rules by selling cigarettes to under-sixteen buyers are subject to prosecution and typically receive fines.

Even with regulations in place about smoking, individuals of all ages can legally smoke cigarettes. Personally, as a non-smoker, I do not hold strong views on the suitable age for someone to either smoke or buy cigarettes. Nevertheless, it is alarming that law enforcement agencies have minimal authority to penalize underage persons who indulge in smoking activities. In my view, if these young people are violating the law, they should be subjected to fitting punishments as a means to discourage them from smoking. Nicotine - scientifically known as C10H14N2 - is a clear toxic liquid with a pungent taste and odor associated with cigarettes.

The main alkaloid found in tobacco, nicotine, is the reason why people often find themselves habitually reaching for and lighting up cigarettes. Nicotine's addictive properties are

believed to surpass even those of cocaine or heroin, a fact that works in favour of both the government and cigarette manufacturers but creates hurdles for those battling addiction. The industry aimed at assisting individuals to quit smoking is almost as profitable as the act of smoking itself. Every year, countless individuals invest money in different solutions such as patches, chewing gums, or therapy sessions with hypnotherapists as they strive to overcome this harmful dependency.

Products such as nicotine patches and chewing gum are utilized to gradually infuse nicotine into the body, then it's progressively reduced until there is no longer a need for nicotine. I've witnessed two people trying out these items, with one successfully breaking away from this distasteful habit while the other expresses dissatisfaction, deeming them inefficient. This implies that determination is a crucial factor. It's important to mention that smoking is strictly forbidden within school grounds according to school regulations.

The mentioned rule is applicable to both students and teachers in all schools in the UK, except for the possibility of teachers smoking in designated areas such as the staff room. In senior schools with a sixth form, there may be a separate social study room where smoking is allowed, but solely within that space. As for consequences of being caught smoking at our school, I have never witnessed or heard of any severe punishment thus far.

Despite regular admonitions and cautioning from educators, no substantial steps are put into action. It's astonishing that there is a constant smoker in the school restrooms, yet no actions are undertaken to deter this practice within the educational establishment. From my perspective, if the goal is to

deter students from smoking, such a method appears unproductive. I maintain an impartial stance on smoking. Although I am not a smoker myself, I don't endorse outright prohibition of smoking. My firm conviction lies in individual freedom of choice about whether or not to smoke despite its recognized health risks. Nevertheless, it's equally crucial for everyone to have their right fully preserved against exposure to passive smoke.

Being a mild asthmatic and non-smoker, I intentionally avoid smoke due to its disagreeable scent. Nonetheless, I understand that smokers are cognizant of the detrimental health risks such as lung cancer and heart disease associated with smoking. From my perspective, it is their prerogative to choose whether they persist in smoking despite the potential dangers posed to their wellbeing. Often, it requires an individual suffering from a smoking-related illness for them to genuinely grasp the severity and heed warnings about smoking. Similarly, those who abstain from smoking should have the choice of occupying designated non-smoking areas without being forced to breathe in second-hand smoke.

While I hold ambivalent views on the subject, it's worth considering how smokers and non-smokers can peacefully coexist in public spaces. From my perspective, it is tolerable for both parties to mix in venues such as bars and clubs where smoke has room to disperse. However, I vehemently oppose smoking in confined areas like trains or cars where there are no available outlets for smoke to escape. It is an error to see smoking as a harmless pastime since it inherently poses harm to others. Simply inhaling secondhand smoke from ignited tobacco could unintentionally lead to fatal implications for unsuspecting people.

Even though people are conscious of

the detrimental impacts of tobacco use, they still decide to smoke, be it a single cigarette or an entire packet daily. This article underscores the significance of upholding people's liberty to smoke if they so desire. Nonetheless, it also proposes that educational institutions should play a more assertive part in discouraging smoking by enforcing penalties on those found smoking and offering data about the adverse consequences of smoking for enabling individuals to make enlightened choices.

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