The first report from the Surgeon General that linked the habit of smoking to a disease was released in the year 1964 (NIH). Smoking has strong effects on humans both physically and culturally. Determinant laws have been passed that regulate the use of tobacco and smoking. This paper will discuss the various laws that have been passed to control tobacco and the physical and social impacts that result from smoking.
Over 40 years have passed since the report was released and a great progress has been made in offering education to the public concerting the dangers that surround the use of tobacco. State, federal, as well as local agencies, have developed and implemented plans that are aimed at discouraging the use of tobacco (Shelton, Alciati and Chang). Some of the laws that have been passed include the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act that was passed in 1965 and requires putting a health warning on cigarette packages and that the Federal Trade Commission submit an annual report on advertising by the tobacco industries and their practice of labeling to the Congress. The law also requires that health, welfare and education departments submit their annual report on the health consequences that are witnessed due to smoking (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services).
In 1970, there the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act was passed that requires that heath warning be put on the cigarette packaging and advertising of cigarette on radio and television be prohibited. In 1984, a Comprehensive Smoking Education Act was passed and requires that the use of four rotating health warning labels be instituted, and all should be listed as warnings from the Surgeon General. The warnings are to be put on the packages as well as advertisements (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services).
The Comprehensive Smokeless Tobacco Health Education Act was passed in 1986 and requires that the use of three rotating health warning labels be instituted on smokeless tobacco advertisements and packages. The Act also prohibits advertisement of smokeless tobacco both on television and radio. The Act also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to publish a report after every two years on smokeless tobacco to Congress. The Federal Trade Commission is required to present a report annually on smokeless tobacco advertising, sales, and marketing to Congress. In addition, the Act requires that the smokeless industry to submit a confidential list that has all the additives and nicotine amount in the products of smokeless tobacco.
In 1988, there were amendments to Federal Aviation Act in order to make the domestic flights that take two or less hours to be smoke-free. In 1992, there was the Synar Amendment to the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration Reorganization Act that requires all states to enact laws that prohibit the selling and distribution of tobacco related products to minors. The states are also required to enforce all these laws in a manner that is sensible and will result in the reduction of the tobacco products availability to those less than 18 years. The states are also required to conduct random inspections that are not announced of the tobacco outlets. They are also required to report their annual findings to the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services).
In 1996, there were regulations that were passed in order to restrict the sale as well as distribution of cigarette and the smokeless tobacco in order to protect both children and adolescents. In 2000, the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act was passed and prohibits smoking on all the flights that serve between any foreign destination and the United States. In 2009, the Tobacco Control Act or Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act was passed. The Act grants authority to the FDA to regulate the process of tobacco products such as manufacturing, distribution, as well as marketing. The Act also requires for eminent labels that have graphic warnings for a cigarette and warnings that are of a larger text be used for smokeless tobacco products. The act does not allow the use of descriptors such as light, mild or low without first receiving order from FDA. The tobacco companies are also required to submit research reports on health, behavioral, toxicological, or physiologic effects resulting from the tobacco use (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services).
The Act also allows the FDA to perform inspections on compliance by the retailers of tobacco. The penalties that can be imposed if the retailers violate include fines with those who repeat risking a no-tobacco sale order. There is also prohibition of cigarettes that have characterizing flavors like grape, orange, or other flavors. The Act also requires that the manufacturers get an exemption or order from the FDA before they can introduce a new product of tobacco into the market (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services).
In 2010, the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act was passed and prohibits the use of cigarette mailing including roll-your-own tobacco through the U.S. Postal Service. It also requires that the internet retailers and those who use mail order to comply with the requirements for age verification. The internet and mail-order retailers are also required to pay the appropriate state, federal, tribal and local taxes for cigarette (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services).
There was a widespread of cigarette smoking in the initial half of the 20th century with the habit being engrained deeply in the American culture. The habit was had a heroic association with soldiers who were in the World Wars and who were affiliated with a new sense of equality and freedom by young women. Later, the habit was considered to be generally illicit but one that is forgivable. Cigarette smoking is still very ubiquitous in settings that are popular such as in arts, movies, as well as advertising (U.S. National Library of Medicine). The modern culture has a mixture of those who believe in the risks that are presented to them concerning the habit of smoking and those who believe in the cultural notion that risks are constructed. There has been an increase in risk-averseness in the modern society especially in cases where the risk is believed to be externally imposed (Brandt).
There is still a cultural believe in the ability to identify, control, regulate and eliminate risks since every risk comes from somewhere and can equally be identified and eliminated. However, there has been a drastic transformation in the way smoking is viewed. The mark of sociability in smoking has become deviant, and behavior that was initially public is now becoming private. The meaning of a cigarette and that of the smoker has changed. Rather than been seen as a hero, the modern smoker is being viewed as an outcast in a powerful moral tale of responsibility and risks. The act of smoking that has been contingent historically is now being faced with a social climate that is not hospitable (Brandt).
Smoking affects the society in a number of ways. The products that result from tobacco products have great negative impacts on the environment. Most of these wastes are toxic and contain chemicals that contaminate water, soil and the wildlife. There have been incidents where discarded lit cigarettes have caused fires damaging homes, lands and death (California Department of Public Health).
Nicotine and substances in cigarettes damage the human body in a number of ways. Nicotine causes the blood vessels to constrict, and this cuts down the flow of oxygen and blood. This makes the heart to beat faster and nay result in hypertension. The other substance in a cigarette is pyridine, which is related to nicotine and has an impact on the functioning of the heart. Carbon monoxide is also found in cigarette and leads to a competitive hemoglobin binding, which work to transport of oxygen to the cells. Other substances such as cadmium have adverse effects on the immune system compromising the protective mechanisms of the body (Stanford University).
Substances found in tobacco are also connected to the increased risk of various cancers such as breast, liver, lung, and colorectal cancers. There is also a strong relationship between smoke that is released from tobacco and cervical cancer. Exposure of the substances for a long time is linked to the pulmonary damages as well as the elasticity loss leading to emphysema and other incurable diseases (Facchinetti, Amadei and Geppetti). Diseases resulting from smoking have led to a huge amount of money being spent in the health centers. More money is lost from the reduced productivity at work as the smokers take a break either to smoke, go to hospital or after death (California Department of Public Health).
Works Cited
Brandt, A. M. "Blow some my way: passive smoking, risk and American culture." Clio Med. 46 (1998): 164-187.
California Department of Public Health. How Does Smoking Affect Us All? 2013. 22 May 2013. <How Does Smoking Affect Us All?>.
Facchinetti, F., et al. "beta-Unsaturated Aldehydes in Cigarette Smoke Release Inflammatory Mediators from Human Macrophages." American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology 37.5 (2007): 617–623.
NIH. The Reports of the Surgeon General: The 1964 Report on Smoking and Health. 2013. 22 May 2013. <http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/retrieve/Narrative/NN/p-nid/60>.
Shelton, Dana M., et al. "State Laws on Tobacco Control -- United States, 1995." Surveillance Summaries 44.SS-6 (1995): 1-28.
Stanford University. Interesting Smoking Facts - Stanford Stop Smoking Program. 2010. 22 May 2013. <http://stopsmoking.stanford.edu/facts.html>.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Laws/Policies. 2013. 22 May 2013. <http://betobaccofree.hhs.gov/laws/index.html#top>.
U.S. National Library of Medicine. The Cigarette. 2011. 22 May 2013. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/visualculture/cigarette.html>.
