Some people claim that smoking is a personal choice that adults make and hence whether it affects them or not, it is up to them. Although this is true, smoking has many adverse effects on the smokers, the community, and the government.
There is no doubt that cigarettes smoke contains harmful chemicals that affect the body. According to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) (2013), smoking is the primary cause of many preventable illnesses and death. Ash noted that in the UK, about one hundred thousand people die annually as a result of diseases related to smoking. In the USA, about four hundred thousand, and forty-three thousand people die each year due to tobacco-related diseases.
Among the most commons illnesses caused by smoking is lung cancer. Data shows that about 80% of deaths are as a result of smoking. Lung cancer is a terminal illness if not diagnosed early. However, in more than often, most patients gets the right diagnosis of the lung cancer when it is at advanced stages leading to death. In addition, smoking causes death resulting from bronchitis and emphysema. Further, it is worth noting that smoking affects not only the Lungs but also the heart. Estimates show that 17% of deaths resulting from heart related diseases have a direct connection to smoking. As the argument goes, it is a personal choice to smoke, but the results are quite devastating to point that such a choice is immoral.
According to Healthy People 2020 (2015), the use of tobacco does not only cause diseases, but also leads to disability. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect the fingers and other limbs to the point of disabling the smoker (CDC, Nov. 21, 2014). Moreover, the tobacco smoke can cause a stroke. Stroke affects the coordination of the limbs rendering one disabled.
On top of this, as mentioned earlier, smoking causes many diseases. Due to this, the patients tend to overuse the governments’ health care facilities. Lung cancer patients occupy a considerable space in the health facilities displacing other patients who had no choices to stop developing the diseases. Such increases the government health care expenditure since, as the numbers of patients increases, the government must keep on improving and expanding the available health care facilities. In addition, dealing with the disabled person as a result of tobacco smoking is expensive.
During pregnancy, the CDC (August, 2014) indicates that tobacco induces miscarriage. The smoke cause the placenta to separate too early from the womb during labour that leads to excessive bleeding and death of the baby. The children of smokers tend to be vulnerable to sudden death syndromes (SIDS) and women who smoke have a lower chance of getting pregnant.
Smoking is addictive (“Smoking’s Immediate Effects on the Body,” n.d). Any addiction from whatever source has adverse effects on an individual. Tobacco being among the most addictive substances makes the smoker hooked to it for years. When they miss smoking, the users usually get stressed. The smoker would think that smoking would reduce their stress while, on the contrary, it increases it. Moreover, the cost of cigarettes is quite high. Due to this, smokers usually have economic hard times especially if they must smoke many cigarettes in a day.
Smokers affect other people around them. The smoke spreads around the active smoker making others passive smokers. Passive smoking has the same adverse effects as active smoking. Since it is immoral for one to “force” other to smoke, it is best if one quits smoking. Quitting smoking saves one from diseases, saves money for oneself and the government (“The Smoking of Smoking on the Body,” n.d.), and also helps others live a healthy life.
Works cited
“Smoking’s Immediate Effects on the Body.” Web. N.P..N.d. Accessed 28 April 2015 from <http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0264.pdf>
“The Smoking of Smoking on the Body.” Web. N.p..N.d. Accessed on28 April 2015 from <http://www.oxygen.org.au/downloads/New_StS_FS/The_effects_of_smoking_on_the_b ody.pdf>
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). 2013. Web. Accessed 28 April 2015 from <http://www.ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_94.pdf>
CDC. Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking. Nov. 21, 2014. Web. N.p. Accessed 28 April 2015 from <http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoki ng/>
CDC. Tobacco Use and Pregnancy. August 5, 2014. Web. Accessed 28 April 2015 <http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/tobaccousepregnancy/>
Healthy People 2020. Tobacco Use. 28 April 2015. Web. Accessed on 28 April 2015 from <http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/tobacco-use>
