Cigarette smoking should be banned

Cigarette smoking should be discontinued to eliminate the negative effects on society. “In 2013, smoking prevalence in Prince Edward Island was 17.6% above the national average of 14.6%”. The University of Waterloo has described this statistic from a Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey in 2013. Furthermore this statistic is startling because the population of Prince Edward Island is roughly 146 000 people, while the entire country has a population of 35.16 million people.

The reason I am fighting for anti-cigarette smoking is because my family has been affected in a significant way by smoking. My grandfather quit this activity when my mother was a child because she suffered from bronchitis. My grandfather was still paying for his actions well after he stopped this poisonous habit, he suffered from wheezing, and COPD(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) which caused his constant need of puffers. This lead to my family being against smoking throughout my childhood which gives reason to why I have the opinion that people should refrain from smoking in regards to other individuals and themselves.

The issue of smoking requires attention, smoking is described as an activity by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit that states that “37 000 Canadians each year die from smoking”. This is from the high rates of cancer that is associated with smoking. Smoking causes harm and there are substantial benefits from quitting this repulsive habit. Along with smoking being harmful to individuals, smoking is a personal choice that does not only affect the smoker, but everyone around them. Second hand smoke is a notable problem that also contributes to health issues. Furthermore cigarette smoking causes detrimental effects on civilization through the extensive harm on oneself and others. In an article posted on The Government of Canada site on May 2016, it describes the risks of smoking. “Of the more than 4000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke, hundreds are toxic including hydrogen cyanide, lead, acetone, arsenic, and formaldehyde. At least seventy of these chemicals are carcinogens which are known to cause cancer”. This statement explains why by just inhaling cigarette smoke there is an immediate change in the lung tissue which is what eventually causes lung cancer to develop. In addition to the risk of cancer, COPD(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is a common result from smoking throughout the years. COPD can be diagnosed to people forty years of age and over and can make it hard for people to breathe while doing simple tasks, for instance walking up the stairs could become a challenge. Moreover, smoking is responsible for harming people who choose not to smoke, it impacts the lives of non-smokers simply by the fact that second hand smoking also contributes to health problems. It is inconsiderate for smokers to pass the health risks associated with smoking to individuals who choose not to participate in the activity. A way to visualize the problem of second hand smoking is to consider obesity, this is a health problem but it only affects the person who chooses to overeat, smoking is different, it is a personal decision but it impacts more than just the smoker, it affects the surrounding individuals.

There is a simple solution to this conundrum, the discontinuation of cigarette smoking should be seen as the only step toward a cleaner and healthier future. A future that is relieved from the negative effects of smoking, by ensuring the healthiness of smokers and non-smokers. However there is a conflicting viewpoint on the issue of smoking. Another perspective is that everyone has a right to smoke and it is their decision to do so, it is also understood that it is difficult to quit smoking and this challenge should not be forced upon someone who does not want to stop smoking. In the end this issue should be taken seriously because of the large extent of harm it causes to people.

Cigarette smoking is a choice and is a challenge to overcome but it should be discontinued to eliminate the negative effects on society. Without smoking, less lives would be impacted with illnesses, and death.

The positives of quitting smoking are varied but all are related to improvements in a person’s health. Within the first few hours of not smoking, the blood begins to have less carbon monoxide present which is vital for their health because carbon monoxide in the blood can cause a reduction of the blood's ability to transport oxygen. Weeks later after the disuse of cigarettes, a person will notice an improvement of their circulation along with less coughing or wheezing, this will be beneficial to reduce the risk of lung cancer. As a result of discontinuing the use of cigarettes, there is a lower risk of cancer, and heart disease which will substantially change the current statistic that has been stated by Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit of “eighty-five percent of lung cancer in Canada”.

The first step to completing this solution is having a smoker admit that smoking is a problem, not just for themselves, but for every individual; children, youth adults, and the elderly. Once they acknowledge that they harm society, the second act should be to quit smoking, this is a challenging thing to overcome but with the help of physicians, and encouragement it can be possible. In fact it needs to happen since “one hundred Canadians die each day of smoking related illnesses”, this statistic has been created by The Government of Canada’s site that includes the risks of smoking, published on May 2016.

Thank you for your time, I hope I have shared a new perspective on this issue with you and I encourage individuals to not participate in smoking anymore, unless you want to become apart of these statistics I have previously shared with you.