The production and sale of cigarettes should be made illegal

The production and sale of cigarettes should be made illegal

Nowadays in the present world smoking cigarettes has become a trend for every age of people and they take it as a fashion. A statistics shows that nearly $8.37 billion are used by the cigarette industries on advertising and promotions annually. And almost $23 million are used every day for the same purpose. The production and sale of cigarettes not only has negative impact on human health, it can even cause death. Because of smoking more than 5 million people dies every year and it will cause 8 million deaths annually by the year 2030. Though it is a very serious issue for the generation, no one is actually giving any care to this topic. However, these people tend to ignore the positive outcome of cigarette business that brings to the society. They also blindly believe that prohibition of producing and selling cigarettes will lend people to adopt a healthier living environment. The production and sale of cigarettes should be made illegal because it creates many health problems such as- cancer, chronic coughing, asthma, it is a waste of money and because of passive smoking.

The producers or even the businessman claims that cigarette business brings a positive outcome to the society. The smokers think that it is a way of relaxation. They take this as their part and parcel of their daily life. When a boy starts smoking he does not realize the bad effects of smoking. He starts taking it by seeing his seniors and thinks that it is good for them. But even after realizing it they cannot leave smoking. They become too addicted to smoking and they suffer in the long run. But many people argue that, as the health problems are being increased due to smoking, the sale as well as the productions also should be stopped and it should be made illegal. It is obviously a big issue today. Some people, mostly nonsmokers are against smoking. Nevertheless if we look at this issue rationally and logically and not according to the smokers’ point of view, it is clear that because of its impact on our health, it should be banned and made illegal and it must be forbidden.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, cigarette smoking is the most important health issue of our time and an avoidable cause of death. (U.S. Department of Health and Human services, 1982) In U.S.A it is responsible for one in every four deaths. (Ravenhotl, 1985) Every year over 400,000 Americans are dying from smoking related diseases. (Schultz, 1991) Smoking does great harm to the lungs and heart. Smokers get chronic coughing and asthma and this is the reason why the smokers sometimes seem different from us. Moreover cigarettes contain carcinogens that can cause an extremely serious disease like a lung cancer, mouth cancer or even throat cancer by which a person loses his valuable life. So, due to these issues, a family is losing one of its members and he could be the only source of income in the family. So, in this case the family is being ruined.

Cigarette business has extended from a small shop to a large industry. Cigarette business is not just a business now, it is considered as a money machine. It is a very big industrial business around the world. A lot of people are engaged to this business directly or indirectly. The owners and also the workers both take this as their source of income. They support their family through this business. It has become one of the most profitable business and one of the biggest industries in the world. The government receive huge amount of taxes from cigarette companies and it is the work place of many people around the world. Through this business a lot of people can be benefited. When a cigarette is exported, it is bringing some remittance for the exporter. The government is getting money. So, making production and sale of cigarettes illegal will definitely hurt the income of the government and add pressures on many people who are in need of a job. As a result, through the business, it creates a source of income for the workers and owners. But someone may argue that besides physical health risks from smoking, many financial and social risks occur along with this. A person, who smokes on a regular basis, spends a majority of his money on buying cigarettes. For instance the average pack of cigarettes costs four dollars. In a year’s time, that would cost a person an average of 1500 dollars a year. And if the person is hospitalized due to cigarette use, his medical expenses will rise so will his insurance rates. While the person is in the hospital there are no income coming in. They are only spending money. In U.S.A several attempts were made to curtail illegal internet tobacco sales but it was with limited success. (Ribisl KM, Williams RS, Gizilice Z, Herring AH, 2011) In most of the cases the internet vendors offer tax free cigarettes making them cheaper than those sold at stores. So, in this ways, though selling cigarettes are banned the buyers are getting it through internet.

Many smokers say that it is okay to smoke in indoors or in general public places. But this is not a good idea and it puts many people at risk. They argue that since it is a public place, there should be no regulations to whether or not they should be allowed to smoke. What these people do not realize is that it is a free public space and they are affecting everyone around them. These people could be elderly or even young boys. The buds left from the cigarette are a huge form of littering and it makes public places dirty. Smoking does not affect only the person using the product. The person’s family is the most at risk. The family can be affected by means of second- hand smoke and other issues. Second-hand smoke is the bi-product of the cigarette that is breathed in. When a child or a new-born breathes it in, they are also in the same risk that the user is. Smoking around teens and children is also a bad influence and leads them to believe that smoking is ok. The smoke itself ruins the look and the smell of the whole family. The smoke causes the clothes to smell bad and the house to smell of smoke and causes discolored walls. The user of the cigarette may also receive yellowing and rotting of teeth and a bad smell and appearance in the hair and skin. Young adults like all smokers must be informed that no cigarettes are good for health. (Meagan, 2013)

Cigarettes should not be sold or manufactured because of the risk of the consumers. The state Illions of U.S.A sets the law that the legal age to buy cigarettes is the age of 18.’ (Leonard Jason et al., 1996) It has become a critical public health issue through to reduce tobacco initiation among the youth. (Donald, 1998) The smokers do realize about the problems of smoking but still they keep on smoking. Smoking is as bad to the environment as it is to our health. The smoke contains a lot of bad elements that is bad for the environment. It is a waste of money as it does no good to our health rather it kills us. The problems that are created by them are not a social issue at this moment. It has become a responsibility to all citizens. ‘Tobacco is the nation’s leading cause of preventable death and disability and is responsible for more than 400,000 deaths each year.’ (Donald, 1998) Tobacco use has been termed as ‘pediatric disease’. (Donald, 1998) This promising approach to stop the production and sale of cigarettes can actually help other people or the general people to lead a good life and help the society to be developed.

Some producers of cigarettes will probably keep the business running under the table, as they are still attracted by the big amount of profit. This will create more problems than it actually does. It may cause to the community and lead it to the whole country. Since smokers can be depressed and do harmful activities because of not having cigarettes. It may also increase crime rate, since people have to trade cigarettes illegally. It can also burden the government, since the government needs to spend more money on hiring people to look after the illegal sale and purchase of cigarettes. Though the illegalization of cigarettes is clearly a good approach, it has some serious negative effects on the whole community.

References

Jason. L., Billows. W., Wyatt. D. S., King. C. (1996). Reducing the Illegal Sales of Cigarettes to Minors:Analysis of Alternative Environment Schedules.

Ribisl. K. M., Williams. R. S., Gizlice., Herring. A. H. (1996). Effectiveness of State and federal Government Agreements with Major Credit Card and Shipping Companies to Block Illegal Internet Cigarette Sales. Retrived from: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0016754

Gemson. D. H., Moats. H. L., Watkins., Ganz. M. L., Robinson. S., Healton. E. (1998). Laying Down the Law: Reducing Illegal Tobacco Sales to Minors in Central Harlem. Retrived from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1508216/

Barkans. M., Lawrence. K. (2013). Contraband tobacco on post-secondary
campuses in Ontario, Canada: analysis of discarded cigarette butts. Retrived from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/13/335