Maybe you can hardly believe that, but today, about 400,000 Americans die annually because of the health problem due to smoking. 1,500,000 people quit smoking a year, but 50,000,000 keep on going. Smoking is one of the most terrible things, which causes 85% of lung cancer and is responsible for 30% of all deaths resulting from cancer (Bartecchi, 49). Other drugs that are harmful, such as crack or marijuana, are illegal in the United States. However, the use of cigarettes, which kills millions worldwide annually, is perfectly legal. If certain harmful substances are illegal, then cigarettes should not be permitted either. I am going to give further information about that and explain how it affects our health, the effects on the people who are non-smokers, and some more serious problems about teens. If you ignore it, you will be one of the victims.
2. Smoking has several harmful effects on the body. People who have smoked for a significant period of time will have noticeable problems breathing and will most likely be in poor health. One out of four deaths of people thirty-five to sixty-four years old result from smoking. On the average, every cigarette takes five and a half minutes of life away from a smoker. (Bartecchi, 46) Although restrictions have been placed on the use of cigarettes in public areas such as restaurants and airports, the US has yet to place a ban on smoking. The government frequently inspects items sold to the American public. Commercial products that may be dangerous such as food, cars, and toys have been recalled in order for alterations. In the August 1995 issue of consumer reports, twenty-four products were recalled because of possible dangers to the consumer. These products included a car that may lose a wheel while in motion, a hair dryer that poses a fire hazard, and cookies that can cause an allergic reaction. (Consumer Reports, 500) Yet, the sale of cigarettes, known to be unsafe, has never been prohibited by the government.
