This paper presents an argument for banning cigarette production and sales. The author identifies three main reasons: the severe health consequences of smoking (cancer, heart disease, lung disease), the substantial financial burden on smokers and the healthcare system, and the harmful effects of secondhand smoke on non-smokers, particularly children. The paper acknowledges a counterargument about smoking's potential cognitive benefits but concludes that the disadvantages significantly outweigh any advantages. The author proposes legislation as the most effective solution to reduce smoking rates and improve public health.
Cigarettes should be illegal because smoking is harmful to human health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, and lung diseases (including emphysema, bronchitis, and chronic airway obstruction)." To be specific, smoking directly affects the heart and lungs. Every time you smoke a cigarette, the lining of the bronchial tubes becomes irritated, causing them to produce mucus. This mucus leads to chronic coughing and can also cause asthma-like symptoms in people without asthma. With these serious effects on lung function, walking and any physical activity may become very difficult. Therefore, smoking cigarettes is extremely bad for human health.
Cigarettes should be illegal because smoking costs a significant amount of money. A packet of 20 cigarettes costs around $14.50, which means if you smoke a pack a day you will spend more than $5,000 a year on cigarettes. As discussed earlier, smoking cigarettes is terrible for your body. Furthermore, cigarettes are extremely expensive, and buying them is like throwing money away. Beyond the direct cost of purchasing cigarettes, it is only a matter of time before smokers need hospital care. Medical expenses and tobacco-related insurance costs add substantially to the financial burden. If you never smoke, you can save thousands of dollars over your lifetime while also avoiding these additional healthcare expenses.
Cigarettes should be illegal because smoking affects people beyond the smoker. Second-hand smoke is a byproduct of cigarette smoking that is breathed in by others. When a child or newborn breathes in secondhand smoke, they face the same health risks as the smoker. Smoking around teenagers and children is also a negative influence and leads them to believe that smoking is acceptable. Parents serve as role models for their children. If parents smoke, their children's health will suffer from exposure to secondhand smoke, and they may develop an interest in smoking themselves. To prevent this harmful cycle, the government should enact a law making the production and sale of cigarettes illegal.
"Weighing benefits against substantial disadvantages"
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