Smoking Should Be Banned - Research Paper Example

Smoking should be Banned Smoking should be Banned Introduction Smoking may be defined as the act of inhalation of the fumes of any substance that can be smoked. These substances include tobacco, opium, cannabis, and heroin. The history of smoking dates back to the Shamanistic rituals and has been since adopted for pleasure and as a social tool among peers. This was facilitated through advertisements that portrayed it as an activity of choice for stars in movies and athletes, cowboys, rebels, complicated young women, role models to teenagers. This has led to massive cigarette smoking worldwide, its effects notwithstanding. However, smoking is rapidly becoming unpopular in the society today. Sensitization campaigns have been lodged and bills pushed by legislators to bring to end the laws that legalize smoking, especially cigarette. Smoking in many regions can be associated with social classes and people smoke to feel a part of a given social class. Smoking brings a “feel good” sensation that is associated with less stress. This paper seeks to examine in details the social and health effects of smoking. Health effects of smoking Smoking is dangerous to almost all body organs and puts a person at a greater health risks. Female smokers have reduced chances of conceiving compared to their non smoking counterparts. In the case of pregnant women, smoking affects the health of their babies, whether before or after birth. Such cases as early deliveries (premature birth), babies dying before they are born, babies weighing less at birth, sudden death syndrome in infants have been reported from smokers. In men, smoking reduces the sperm counts, which may lead to infertility, miscarriage or birth defect risks. Banning smoking can boost fertility and healthy children and parents free from smoke related complications (Anderson, 2004). If the waxy substance forms inside the arteries that take blood to the limbs and organs, a condition known as Peripheral Arterial Disease will arise. This will affect the kidneys and the stomach. It is also a major cause of stroke (Anderson, 2004). There is a chance that many people suffering from pain and numbness in the legs and death of the tissues have Peripheral Heart Disease. If the kidney is affected its role of purifying the blood will not be done well and one can end up with impure blood. Severe kidney problems lead to kidney failure, which will lead to either kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant. Smoking has adverse consequences on immunity as well as inflammation. Women who have reached menopause but smoke are more likely to experience bone breakage due to their weak bones than those who do not smoke at all. Smoking causes a type of diabetes mellitus and makes it difficult to handle especially for active smokers. It also impairs smokers vision by clouding of the eyes lenses, hence lead to cataracts that hinder one from seeing. Arthritis, specifically rheumatoid, is yet another health hazard of smoking. Many smokers have increased rate of losing teeth owing to tooth decay and weakening of the gums (Eysenck, 2000). Skin wrinkles and black stained nails with excessive sweat production are common phenomena. Banning smoking can enhance healthy living practices, thereby avoiding unnecessary ailments smokers inflict in them. Cancer is a serious health concern. Smoking has been closely associated with the cervical cancer, cancer of the mouth, throat, blood, stomach, pancreas. Smoking increases the risk of death in cancer patients. Many deaths are caused by smoking, the absence of which the mortality rate would be drastically reduced. The smoke fumes block the airways and air sacs in the lungs. Lung diseases such as lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and asthma are common in smokers compared to nonsmokers (Stewart, 2003). These respiratory diseases and cancer can be greatly reduced if smoking would be banned. Banning smoking will see many smokers quit the addictive behavior that would see reduced cases of cancer. Smoking poses health threats to the heart, veins, arteries and capillaries. Smoke particles, when inhaled, settles on the walls of the blood vessels (Stewart, 2003). The carbon monoxide attaches itself strongly to the hemoglobin to displace oxygen in the blood. Blood clotting occurs. As a result of blood clotting, the blood vessels swell and cause blockage. The heart beat, then increases and, in severe cases, leads to high blood pressure in smoking patients. Heart attack becomes rampant due to insufficient oxygen supply to the heart. Consequently, the heart muscles are destroyed. Bursting of blood vessels is very dangerous, especially in the brain. It can be observed that avoiding smoking will eliminate the high frequency of blood clotting in the vessels. This will greatly minimize strokes, heart attacks, and high blood pressure. This will ensure productivity due to reduced absenteeism at the workplace. Social Effects of Smoking Smoking related diseases are very expensive to treat. This implies heavy cash spent by friends, families and relatives in hospital bills. In extreme circumstances, those who depend on the smoker as the sole source of livelihood will face abject poverty. This is because the already available resources were spent on treatments, leaving nothing to rely on. The smokers are looked down upon when they cannot give birth to viable offspring in the society. Every society still value children, albeit for various reasons (Stewart, 2003). A person feels embarrassed when it is known to the society of his/ her infertility and think of themselves as misfits. Extreme cases may lead to psychic risks that amount to divorce, separation, depression and even suicide. Active smokers face a lot of restrictions in the society. There are posters in public banks, offices, hotels and restaurants and event in rental apartments that forbid public smoking. This condition forces the smoker nightmares of where she or he can hide for safety. It also hinders the social life of a smoker as no one seems to like the smell in the clothes (Slovic, 2001). It forces most offices, clubs and restaurants to spend much on carpets, smoking tins, air conditioners and special smoking rooms in order to entertain smokers. The landlords are likely to charge higher rents from smokers owing to the risk of catching fire from carelessly thrown cigars. Banning smoking will facilitate free interaction without any prejudice, hence contributing to healthy living among society members. Most smokers have resorted to unethical practices in the society due to stigmatization. They have led to the breaking of the societal fabrics by raping, neglecting their families or even use of sex stimulants to boost their libido (Morgan, 2002). They have been involved in the stealing and cheating to acquire money for smoking. They endanger their lives and that of their families by engaging in the aforesaid acts. It is shameful, for instance, to be associated with rapists. Conclusion In a nutshell, it is evident that smoking is as dangerous to second hand smokers as it is to first hand smokers. To reduce the medical bills and death rate in United State, smoking should be banned. The government should not overlook the side effects of smoking, just because it fetches good revenue. The lives of productive people are put at risk by the selfish act as huge income is spent on health care due to smoking related issues that can be avoided. It is absurd to jeopardize the lives of the civilians for the sake of money and economic boost. Innocent lives of babies and children who have smoking parents are at stake in the wrong decisions of their own parents. There is a need to sensitize smokers on the benefits of quitting by health specialists. To save the population and the next generation, it is generally accepted that smoking should be banned for the social welfare and well being of the entire society. References Anderson, J. (2004). Smoking. London: Library of Congress. Eysenck, H.J. (2000). Smoking, Health and Personality. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Morgan, S. (2002). Smoking: Health Issues Series. Sydney: Raintree Steck-Vaughn. Slovic, P. (2001). Smoking: risk, perception and policy. Cambridge: Sage Publications. Stewart, G. (2003). Understanding Issues: Smoking. Mason: KidHaven Press. Read More