For a long time now, there has been a raging debate as to whether the sale and use of tobacco needs to be banned. In fact, some debaters have placed tobacco in the same category as high narcotics, the likes of marijuana. The scientific world has conducted various research activities aimed at studying the vast effects of smoking. Findings from these tests have found that indeed tobacco has adverse effects on both the users and the society at large. According to research, the use of tobacco remains the biggest preventable cause of mortality and disease in America. For this reason, this paper provides evidence in support for the ban of tobacco usage.
First, it is sad noting that smoking of cigarettes kills over 480,000 Americans annually. Furthermore, over 41,000 of such deaths occur from second-hand smoke. Another fact is that cigarette-related diseases in the United States cost over $300 billion per annum. The indirect cost of medical care for adults amounts to nearly $170 billion. The worst part of the matter is that close to $156 billion of productivity get lost. In the year 2014, an estimate of 16.8% of U.S adults were active cigarette smokers. This proportion amounted to about 40 million adults. Out of this number, 76.8% smoked, at least, every day. The remaining 23.2% smoked only for some days. Their number amounted to 30.7 million individuals.
Health effects of tobacco
Cancer- Cancer is a general term referring to diseases whereby abnormal cells multiply out of control and possess the ability to invade other tissues. Such cells usually spread to other parts of the body via the blood and the lymphatic system. This mechanism is the one responsible for helping the body extract toxins from the body. Over 100 different types of cancer exist. Most of them, however, derive their nomenclature from the organ or the cell type from which they originate. Examples include lung cancer, which begins at the lung, pancreatic cancer which begins at the pancreas and skin cancer which arises from the dermal tissue.
General symptoms of cancer include thickenings or lumps in any body part. Sometimes unexplained weight loss or gain typically occurs. In rare cases, a sore throat that does not seem to heal can also occur. Another similar occurrence is a cough of hoarseness that does not heal as well. Some minor symptoms might include difficulty swallowing, changes in bladder or bowel habits and discomfort after feeding. Other sufferers might also experience unusual discharge or bleeding and might become very weak or tired.
Tobacco is a known carcinogen. It contains two active ingredients namely, tar and nicotine. Tar is the main culprit in the causation of cancer. It accumulates in the lung and damages the cell’s DNA. Over time, the damage causes mutations that lead to the disease. Furthermore, tobacco can cause cancer and hinder the body from fighting it. First, various toxins in figurate smoke have the potential to weaken the body’s natural immunity. This process makes it hard to eliminate cancerous cells. In the event of such an occurrence, cancer cells keep spreading without getting stopped. Though treatments get improved by the day, many people still die from the disease including second-hand smokers. Such a scenario is sorrowful and unfair. Innocent victims who unknowingly inhale tobacco die unreasonably. This situation evokes a strong pathetic appeal due to the sadness of the matter.
Heart disease and stroke- These two are cardiovascular ailments. Heart disease can be of many types. The primary form is coronary heart disease. In this condition, the blood vessels carrying blood to the heart narrow. The narrowing can cause chest pains, heart failure, arrhythmia, and stroke. Strokes commonly occur when the brain's blood supply is impaired or when blood vessels in the brain rupture, causing the death of brain tissue.
Smoking is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease. A third of cigarette related deaths are the result of cardiovascular illness. Use of tobacco can raise the amount of triglycerides in the blood, it can make blood sticky and more susceptible to clotting, and it can also destroy cells lining the blood vessels. Furthermore, smoking lowers the “good” cholesterol and increase the buildup of plaque in blood vessels.
Second-hand smoke is also harmful to health. This is the smoke emanating from burning tobacco products. An active smoker also exhales it. This type of substance causes the death of almost 34,000 people in the United States who do not smoke. Furthermore, it increases the risk of developing heart diseases by 25-30%. An additional 8000 people die from strokes as a result of strokes caused by second-hand smoke. The standard operation of the blood, heart and vascular systems also get impaired in ways that make one more vulnerable to heart attacks.
Smoking and pregnancy- A woman who smokes, has a much-lowered chance of conceiving a child, and high chances are that she might never become pregnant at all. Furthermore, it increases the possibilities of pregnancy complications. The smoke also causes harm to unborn babies. It damages tissues of the fetus, especially in the brain and lung. Some researchers have even suggested a correlation between smoking and cleft lip. Also, carbon monoxide from tobacco smoke may prevent the baby from obtaining sufficient oxygen.
When it comes to infants, tobacco smoking by mothers may lead to pre-term deliveries. Such occurrences are a leading cause of disease, death and disability and illness in newborns. Another effect is that babies get born underweight, especially those whose mothers gain exposure to second-hand smoke. When pregnant women use tobacco, and after birth their babies gain exposure to second-hand smoke have higher chances of succumbing to Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than those who are not exposed. Such children also develop weaker lungs further increasing the risk of more health problems.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease- These are a group of diseases that block airflow and other breathing-related complications. They include chronic bronchitis, emphysema and occasionally asthma. COPD causes the tiny air sacks and airways to lose their elasticity. The walls between most of the air sacks get destroyed. More complications include thickening and inflammation of the airway walls. The airways then produce excessive mucus which clogs airways and blocks them (Arnson, Shoenfeld & Amital, 2010).
Minor forms of the ailment include a nagging cough, "smokers cough," shortness of breath especially after physical activity, wheezing, and chest tightness. As the disease progresses, symptoms might include trouble catching breath, blue or gray lips, little mental alertness and a racing heart. Smoking is the primary cause of COPD. Nearly 8 out of 10 OCPD deaths are the direct result of smoking. Tobacco use among children and teenagers can slow down lung development increasing the risk of COPD in later years.
One thing they do not seem to understand is that they affect other non-smokers through second-hand smoke. This fact renders them a hazard to the general community as a whole. One disappointing fact is that tobacco companies use the gimmick of cigarette filters to encourage more smoking. This causes a negative ethical appeal. The manufacturers are not health professionals. Therefore, they have no credibility in determining the safety of cigarettes. For this reason, tobacco should be banned entirely.
References
Arnson, Y., Shoenfeld, Y., & Amital, H. (2010). Effects of tobacco smoke on immunity, inflammation, and autoimmunity. Journal of Autoimmunity, 34(3), J258-J265.
