Cigarettes-Killing Our Country- Essay, Research Paper

Cigarettes-Killing Our Country-

This year alone cigarettes will kill over 420,000 Americans,

and many more will suffer from cancers, and circulatory and

respiratory system diseases. These horrible illnesses were known to

originate from cigarettes for years, and recently nicotine, the main

chemical additive in cigarettes, was declared addictive by the Food

and Drug Administration. This explains why smokers continue to use

cigarettes even though smokers are aware of the constantly warned

about health dangers in cigarettes. Although smokers constitute the

majority of people who suffer from cigarettes, they are not the only

ones ailing from cigarette smoke. As UC San Francisco scientist and

author Stanton Glantz estimates in Shari Roan s article, the amount

of second-hand smoke inhaled by the typical nonsmoker is equivalent to

one cigarette smoked per day. Even that amount of cigarette

smoke can damage a person’s heart. Some

researchers have also concluded that smoking by pregnant women

causes the deaths of over 5,000 babies and 115,000

miscarriages. The only way to terminate the suffering and loss of

life brought upon by cigarettes exists as a complete proscription

on them. Opponents to the banning of cigarettes argue that it will

create a profound negative impact on the economy. They do not realize

that this nation places the health of its citizens above its financial

status. Although many people continue to remain convinced that

absolving our country of cigarettes does not merit some economical

loss, this remains as a necessary step in eradicating our country of

these virulent stiflers of life.

For years cigarettes have been known to cause cancer,

emphysema, and other horrible illnesses. The deaths of over 420,000

of Americans this year will be attributable to cigarettes. With all

the other causes of preventable deaths, alcohol, illegal drugs, AIDS,

suicide, transportation accidents, fires, and guns, cigarettes still

account for more preventable deaths than those do combined, as stated

by Lonnie Bristow M.D. of the American Medical Association at her

speech to Indiana University. We can no longer stand aside and watch

fellow Americans die because they smoke cigarettes. Thousands of

smokers try to rid themselves of cigarettes but can t because of the

physiological dependence they develop, chiefly imputable to its

chemical additive nicotine. Nicotine was recently declared addictive

by the Food and Drug Administration, which explains why many smokers

continue to smoke despite the numerous health warnings on cigarette

smoking. Although cigarettes do not offer as intense an effect as

drugs like heroin and cocaine, they rank higher in the level of

dependence it creates in the user. Since cigarettes fit in the array

of regulated addictive drugs, they should also be regulated like those

in the same array as cigarettes. David Kesslar of the Food and Drug

Administration says in a letter to an antismoking coalition,

…cigarette manufacturers may intend that their products contain

nicotine to satisfy an addiction…Although technology to remove

nicotine from [cigarettes] was developed years ago cigarette

manufacturers shun it. Instead [they] control with precision the

amount of nicotine in their products, ensuring that it [will] maintain

an addiction. Nicotine engenders it almost impossible for cigarette

smokers to quit smoking because of its addictive nature, and with the

cigarette manufacturers manipulating the amount nicotine the only

manner available remains to outlaw cigarettes.

The health of tens of thousands of nonsmoking Americans a year

are affected by cigarette smokers. Of those who do not smoke 53,000

will die and countless others will suffer from cardiovascular diseases

as reported by the American Heart Association.

Scott Ballin of the Coalition on Smoking or Health says that, The

scientific evidence continues to accumulate that says there is this

connection to secondhand smoke and cardiovascular disease. Why should

smokers be allowed enjoy their cigarettes at the expense of those who

do not? By permitting the smoking of cigarettes the United States

government denies the right the fifth amendment gave its citizens,

…nor be deprived of life, liberty…A report published from the

Cardiovascular Research Institute at UC San Francisco specifically

explains how secondhand smoke affects a nonsmokers body: it reduces

the body s ability to deliver oxygen to the heart because the carbon

monoxide produced by the cigarettes competes with the oxygen for

binding sites on red blood cells, it increases the amount of

lactate–a salt derived from lactic acid– in blood, making it more

difficult to exercise, it activates blood platelets, the cells which

cause cuts to form scabs, causing blood clots in the arteries, and it

irritates tissue damage after a heart attack. Dr. Homayoun Kazemi of

Harvard University states that, [studies] are showing…small amounts

of….[cigarette] smoke are having greater effects on the non smoker s

system. . If cigarettes were outlawed not only would we be saving

millions of smokers, but also thousands of nonsmokers as well.

Opponents to the banning of cigarettes base their arguments on

the possible negative impact that may transpire on America s economy.

Such arguments include statements like ex-smokers could live longer

and receive greater Social Security and Medicare payments, and that

tobacco farmers would lose a large piece of their revenue. The first

argument makes Americans appear to be burdens to this country, and by

smoking cigarettes they make themselves less of a nuisance by killing

themselves. The opponents second statement about tobacco farmers is

misleading because farmers also sell their tobacco for cigars, and in

addition to tobacco hundreds of varieties of other cash crops may also

be planted. The benefits of outlawing cigarettes greatly outnumber the

disadvantages, for example, many scientists believe a link between

smoking and a shortened life span exists between the two, a ban on

cigarettes could increase life spans; many studies suggest that

billions of dollars now spent on smoking related illnesses create

health care savings; smoking related ailments could be reduced by

outlawing cigarettes, and companies could garner an added $8.4

billion; families could save money by not purchasing cigarettes; and

accidental fires costing millions of dollars caused by cigarettes

would cease. With almost only benefits attached to a proscription of

cigarettes, the next logical step is to outlaw them.

Although a complete ban on cigarettes currently remains far

from attainment, several organizations recently helped create a bill

that could control cigarettes much in the same way the government now

controls drugs. One such organization, the Food and Drug

Administration, headed by David Kesslar drafted a major part, which

would: require manufacturers to disclose the 700 chemical additives in

cigarettes; reduce or prohibit the level of harmful chemical

additives; require cigarette companies to warn of the addictive nature

of nicotine; restrict tobacco advertising and promotion; and control

the level of nicotine cigarettes contain. As we near a complete ban on

cigarettes many fights will be fought, but eventually cigarettes will

be eliminated.