Passive Smoking and the Development of Post-Menopausal Cancer - Essay Example

This assignment seeks to address one of the offensive habits in the society concerning public smoking. This research will help the reader to recognize the potential of passive smoking in causing multiple health-related effects that may threaten life. Moreover, it seeks to persuade the government to impose stringent regulation of public smoking. As I made efforts to complete this assignment, I realized that passive smoking is as dangerous as active smoking. Through an intensive research of different databases, I came across multiple published researches on the issue contrary to the perception of many people that there is limited research on passive smoking. I identified the alarming rates at which passive smoking contributes to health-related effects. As I carried out my research, I identified too many scholarly articles on smoking. I ended up spending a lot of time gathering new information on diverse topics. Finally, I narrowed down to my topic on the regulation of public smoking. The assignment was interest arousing because there is plenty of information on the issue. Being a rational person, the availability of multiple studies on the issue of passive smoking and its effects gave me more conviction to develop my argument. I gained new information that prompted to view the issue differently. I settled on the issue of passive smoking and the detrimental effects it poses because I have lived with smokers before. During that time, I found the experience offensive, because the smoke was irritating. This research has helped me justify my reasons for living in a tobacco free area. The statistics presented in my paper concerning the rates of smoking are relevant to the United States of America. However, the research journals cited are not limited to American population. This is because smoking is not a habit for Americans only. I am concerning hoping to get feed the assignment. Thank you. Yours Sincerely, Name. Name Instructor Institution Course Date Governments should Impose Stringent Regulation on Public Smoking Introduction and Claim Smoking is one of the commonest habits in the society. For a long time, scientists have sought to establish the potential effects of smoking to the smoker. Such researches have yielded alarming results that reveal multiple detrimental effects to individuals who smoke. Such knowledge has given rise to surging concerns on the welfare of secondary smokers. Secondary smokers are people involved in passive smoking through the inhalation of smoke from active smokers. Research reveals that secondary smokers at almost equal risk of suffering the detrimental effects associated with smoking. Recent research has revealed that tobacco consists of about 4000 components (Gilmoreet al 184). Active smokers inhale a certain percentage of all the chemical components in tobacco. Other studies have classified fifty of these chemical components as highly carcinogenic substances(Gilmore et al 186). Passive smokers inhale an almost equal percentage of the total components inhaled by the smoker in a single puff. Therefore, it is apparent that passive smokers are at a high risk of developing cancer, and other health issues associated with smoking. Evidently, there is need for governments to introduce stringent laws and high fines for people violating the rules forbidding smoking in public areas. Background Research from peer-reviewed articles reveals that passive smoking presents a high risk factor to the innocent individuals. Although there are rules forbidding smoking in public areas, research indicates that many people violate such laws because there is insufficient reinforcement and lack of stringent punitive measures (Bernstein et al 570). Introduction of new fine rates for people found smoking in close proximity to others, exposing to the dangerous tobacco components could ensure that smokers develop a sense of social responsibility. The new measures should be accompanied by regular reinforcement even within the home and work setting where passive smoking rates remain high. Body Statistics reveal that there is a significant number of smokers in the globe, smoking different forms of tobacco. With emerging evidence of the increase detrimental effects of passive smoking, governments should impose high fines on reckless smokers who fail take the health of others into consideration. The risk of developing smoking-related health conditions is higher that scientist perceived in earlier researches (Bernstein et al 572). The government has a responsibility of ensuring that non-smokers face no exposure to passive smoking. Although many people have opined that banning smoking would offer a lasting solution to the emerging problem of passive smoking, it is worth noting that smokers have the right to choose to indulge in smoking. Therefore, banning smoking would apparently impinge on their rights. However, passive smoker inhale tobacco puffs from active smokers with many of them finding this highly offensive. Although smokers have their right to smoke, their habits should not affect others adversely. The government comes in to fill this gap by ensuring that smokers do not harm the welfare of non-smokers. Recentresearch shows that passive smoking is still high, justifying the need for urgent intervention (Bernstein et al 566). Although there are existing rules prohibiting smoking in public areas, it is evident that many smokers do not heed the rules. Smokers convicted of breaking these rules often receive minimal punishment, a factor that contributes to a repetition of the mistake. Apparently, this shows that there are inadequate measures in place to safeguard the public from passive smoking. Evidently, people smoke freely in restaurants, pubs, casinos, and other public areas (Saso et al 333). This places emphasis on the need for stringent regulation from the government. With the crowding in places such as restaurants and casinos, the rate of passive smoking is higher. Stringent regulation and reinforcement of the policies can reduce such rates. The effects of passive smoking are indiscriminate, and may occur to people of any age as long as they are under constant exposure of tobacco. For example, children usually exhibit ear infections, asthma attacks, and other respiratory complications such as coughing, and sneezing. In chronic cases, smoking may cause sudden infant death syndrome. In adults, health effects include bronchitis, pneumonia, and a higher susceptibility to cancer with tobacco having more than 50 carcinogenic components (Ren et al 86). Second hand smoking involves the inhalation of chemicals such as carbon monoxide, nicotine, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons among others (Mehmet et al 354). They all expose passive smokers to dangers of contracting fatal cardiac ailments. Such adverse health effects serve to strain the medical facilities and funds, causing negative effects on the economy. Many of the health conditionsrelated to smoking are terminal illnesses that require expensive treatment and management. Apparently, any government will want to prevent passive smoking, as a proactive measure in combating such financial and medical strains. The examination of a case scenario of the effects of passive smoking can depict the seriousness of the issue. Almost 46,000 heart disease deaths are witnessed yearly in the United States (Saso et al 330). Passive smokers’ increase their chances of contracting lung cancer by 20-30% and almost 3400 deaths are experienced yearly.Statistics show that non-smokers exposed to second hand smoke increase their chances of contracting heart diseases by 25-30%. These statistics offer only a glimpse of the one of many health conditions related to smoking, and the effect of passive smoking is evident (Mehmet et al 356). This highlights the urgency with which governments should intervene to protect the welfare of the public from smokers. In conclusion, the only way to protect non-smokers from dangers of smoking is through creating an environment that is smoke free. There is always a health risk at the slightest inhalation of second hand smoke. As many Americans continue to be exposed to second hand smoking more health problems are witnessed. Although smokers have the right to continue smoking, they should realize that their pleasure should not harm other people. Annotated Bibliography BernsteinLeslie, et al. "Cigarette Smoking, Passive Smoking, And Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Risk: Evidence From The California Teachers Study." American Journal Of Epidemiology 174.5 (2011): 563-573. CINAHL Complete.Web. 14 Oct. 2013. This peer-reviewed article reveals that both passive and active smoking have adverse health effects, and may cause Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. GilmoreAnna, et al. "Assessing The Knowledge Of The Potential Harm To Others Caused By Second-Hand Smoke And Its Impact On Protective Behaviours At Home." Journal Of Public Health 34.2 (2012): 183-194. CINAHL Complete.Web. 14 Oct. 2013. This article reveals that smoking presents adverse effects to other people, justifying stringent intervention measures. Mehmet Gungor Kaya, et al. "The Acute Effects Of Passive Smoking On Mean Platelet Volume In Healthy Volunteers." Angiology 63.5 (2012): 353-357. MEDLINE with Full Text.Web. 14 Oct. 2013. The research described in this article reveals that passive smoking triggers platelet activation, showing that passive smoking has serious effects depending on the duration of exposure. SasoStoleski, et al. "Effects Of Passive Smoking At Work On Respiratory Symptoms, Lung Function, And Bronchial Responsiveness In Never-Smoking Office Cleaning Women. / UtjecajPasivnogPušenja Na RadnomeMjestu Na DišneSimptome, FunkcijuPluća I BronhijalnuReaktivnost U UredskihSpremačica-Nepušačica."Archives Of Industrial Hygiene & Toxicology / ArhivZaHigijenuRada I Toksikologiju 60.3 (2009): 327-334. SPORTDiscus with Full Text.Web. 14 Oct. 2013. This article describes a study carried out in women exposed to environmental smoke at the workplace. Findings from the study reveal that passive smoking has adverse effects. Ren, ZFet al. "Effects Of Passive Smoking On Breast Cancer Risk In Pre/Post-Menopausal Women As Modified By Polymorphisms Of PARP1 And ESR1." Gene 524.2 (n.d.): 84-89. Science Citation Index.Web. 14 Oct. 2013. The authors of this article sought to establish whether passive smoking contributed to the development of post-menopausal cancer. Findings indicate that although genetic factors are significant determinants, there is still a risk from passive smoking. Read More