Should Smoking Be Banned in Myrtle Beach - Assignment Example

Should Smoking be banned in Myrtle Beach? Smoking is one of the major social problems causing different kinds of diseases to people all over the world. One of the major problems associated with smoking is the ability of the smokers to cause health problems to those who surrounding him. In other words, second hand smoke is as dangerous as first hand smoke so that many innocent people who forced to breathe second hand smoke develop health problems. “The EPA reports that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke. An overwhelming body of scientific and medical evidence has proven that it causes lung cancer and heart disease among nonsmokers who are exposed to it”(Reynolds). So, smoking should be prohibited in public places like Myrtle Beach to save innocent people or nonsmokers who visit this beach for enjoyment purposes. Beach tourism is one of the major revenue sources for the governments. Tourists always like clean environment. Beach litter is harmful and costly in many ways, and the number one form of litter on U.S. beaches is cigarette butts. The beauty of the beaches could be seriously damaged as a result of the accumulation of cigarette related wastes. Clean sand and clean water are the foremost requirement for encouraging tourism in beach areas. If smoking is allowed in Myrtle Beach, tourists may not visit this place frequently because of their concerns about the dirty environment. Smoking prohibition in Myrtle Beach will encourage smokers to quit and nonsmokers to stay away from smoking. In many cases, people get inspiration for developing antisocial behaviors from others. It is a human tendency to imitate others. Nonsmokers get inspiration from smokers if smokers allowed smoking in public places. In order to avoid spreading of smoking, it should be prohibited in public places like Myrtle Beach. According to a study conducted by Carter et al (2005), the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is intensifying because of cigarette smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke (Carter et al, p.275). Moreover, the studies conducted by Lee et al. also proved the potentials of secondhand smoke to generate health problems. A random sample stratified by region was drawn from a list that included approximately 40% of all Florida households with children in grades 4–7. A total of 785 Florida adolescents initially enrolled in the 4th–7th grade participated in three telephone interviews conducted over a 24-month period. At the round 3 interview, 10.3% of participants reported one or more earaches within the previous 30 days. Several second-hand smoke exposure questions asked at each of the three interviews were associated with the number of reported earaches. Stepwise polytomous logistic regression indicated that parental smoking inside the home reported at the round 3 interview was associated with the number of reported earaches (OR~3.11, 95% CI~1.70–5.66). None of the nonsecond-hand smoke exposure variables, including the participant’s own history of tobacco use, had any association with the reporting of earaches (pw.05). Second-hand smoke exposure is associated with self-reported earaches in adolescents (Lee et al. p.943). Not only earache and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), plenty of other diseases such as lung cancer, coronary diseases, Asthma, etc are proved to be associated with secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is the smoke from cigarettes as inhaled by nonsmoking people. It contains more than 4,000 chemicals, of which forty-three are known to cause cancer. Beaches are places where both smokers and nonsmokers are assembling. All of them have the right to use beach facilities for enjoyment purposes. But none of them have either legal or moral right to cause any damage to the interests of others. While smoking in places like Myrtle Beach, smokers are causing huge damages to the health of nonsmokers along with the damage of their own health. Even though smoking is a private activity, it should be performed in private places to avoid nonsmokers from causing any damages to their interests while visiting public gathering places such as beaches. Public places should be made available only to those people who are ready to obey the laws. Tourism revenues will be affected if the smokers allowed smoking freely in places like Myrtle Beach. Smokers have the habit of throwing cigarette pieces here and there while they visit beaches. The beauty of the beach and the cleanliness of water attract tourists towards beaches. If smoking is allowed in Myrtle Beach, the natural beauty and cleanliness of this beach could be damaged and visitors or tourists may select other beaches while they plan any journey for relation. Globally, about 4.3 trillion cigarette butts litter the earth every year. Smokers in the United States account for more than 250 billion cigarette butts, in the United Kingdom 200 tons of butts are discarded, and Australian smokers litter more than 7 billion cigarette butts every year. In most Western countries cigarette butt litter accounts for approximately 50 percent of all litter (How Does Smoking Hurt the Environment?). Ariza and Leatherman (2012) pointed out the damages caused by smokers to beaches. In their opinion, Tourists are very sensitive to aesthetics of natural areas and they will never dirty beaches because of health concerns. Most of the beaches are places in which litter from smokers is a big problem. Litter is one of the most important aspects for users when choosing a beach. Ariza and Leatherman pointed out that Cigarette butts are the number one type of litter collected from beaches. In their opinion, Cigarette butts degrade the beach environment and have important negative environmental consequences on marine life also (e.g., ingestion by fish, birds, and marine mammals can cause toxicity problems) (Ariza and Leatherman p.143). Smoking prohibition in beaches helps tobacco-users quit (DHHS). Many people have the habit of smoking while they see others smoking. In other words, even among nonsmokers, the thirst for smoking can be generated by smokers. The tendency to imitate others is inherent among many people. At the time of mimicking others people may not think much about the consequences of their activity. The opinions of Brizer (2003) are relevant here. The ingredients of tobacco smoke are not better than what comes pouring out the chimneys of factories or out of a car exhaust pipe. Along with nicotine, the fumes contain carbon monoxide, tar and literally thousands of other chemicals, dozens of which are known to harm the body (Brizer, p.10). Smoking is a habit which is motivated by false beliefs and superstitions. Smokers often make the people believe that smoking is a good activity for mental relaxation. But in reality, it is not true. They usually persuade others to smoke in order to get a company. It should be noted that in most of the substance abuse cases, the abuser looks for the company of others to derive maximum pleasure out of his activity. Smoking is also an antisocial behavior in which smokers like to taste the tobacco in groups. Beaches are places in which various types of people gather together. At the moment of relaxation even nonsmokers may not think much about the consequences of an activity which may damage their health. Thus smokers not only motivate nonsmokers to smoke but also reinforce their habit of smoking while they use cigarettes in beaches. Many studies have proved that smokers who live in communities with strong ordinances against public smoking are more likely to quit than smokers in communities without such laws. In other words, prohibition of smoking in American beaches can encourage people to quit smoking. Governments are showing reluctance in banning smoking in public places like Myrtle Beach because tobacco products are good revenue sources for them. Banning of smoking in beaches like public places may result in big financial losses to the governments. In other words, the authorities are not sincere in their efforts to ban smoking at least in public places because of their reluctance in blocking a revenue source. The authorities should revise their strategies. They should realize that the expenses of the governments in treating patients suffering from smoking related health problems, are huge compared to the revenue generated by tobacco products and therefore smoking should be prohibited at public places like Myrtle Beach. Being a nonsmoker who visits Myrtle Beach quiet regularly, I do believe that smoking prevention in this beach may increase my confidence to visit this beach again and again. There are many cases in which even nonsmokers suffering from cancer like health problems generated by secondhand smoke. Legal ban of smoking in Myrtle Beach may help me a lot in staying secure while visiting this beach. I have a habit of imitating others when I see some of their activities attractive to me. Avoidance of smoking in Myrtle Beach will help me to stay away from generating new habits like smoking. In the past, my knowledge about the health problems associated with smoking was negligible. So I was a victim of anything fancy to me. At present I am more aware of the problems associated with smoking and therefore in all probabilities, I might not start smoking. In future also, I don’t think I may start smoking like behaviors which may cause damage not only to my health but also to other’s health. To conclude, smoking not only in Myrtle Beach, but also in all other beaches and public gathering places should be prohibited considering the huge problems it may cause to the smoker as well as nonsmokers. The primary aim of any governments is to give enough protection to the public life and properties. By allowing smoking in public gathering places such as Myrtle Beach, government is playing with the life of the people. In short, smoking should be prohibited in Myrtle Beach as quickly as possible. Annotated Bibliography Ariza, Eduard and Leatherman, Stephen P. “No-Smoking Policies and Their Outcomes on U.S. Beaches”. Journal of Coastal Research 28, 1A. 143–147 January 2012. Secondary Source Original intended audience: Academics, researchers, smokers and nonsmokers Both the authors of this article are working in Laboratory for Coastal Research in Florida U.S.A. Other details about the authors are not given ion this article. The core of this article is the need of smoking prohibition US beaches for encouraging tourism. The authors are of the view that tourists visit only clean beaches and cigarette smoking is one of the major activities which causes immense damages to the beauty of the beaches. I plan to use this article to substantiate my claims that smoking in Myrtle Beach should be prohibited to improve tourism. Brizer, David. M.D. Quitting Smoking For Dummies Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (September 12, 2003). Primary Source Original intended audience: Academics, researchers, smokers and nonsmokers The author is a doctor by profession and hence his opinions about smoking health problems should be taken seriously. In this book, the author narrates different health problems associated with smoking and the ingredients of cigarette smoke. I plan to use this primary source to supplement my claims that smoking prohibition is necessary in American beaches. Carter, Rick., Tiep, Brian L. and Tiep, Rebecca E. “The Emerging Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Epidemic Clinical Impact, Economic Burden, and Opportunities for Disease Management”. 2008. Dis Manage Health Outcomes 2008; 16 (5). Secondary Source Original intended audience: Academics, researchers, smokers and nonsmokers Out of the three authors, Rick Carter is working in Texas Tech University and Texas Tech Health Sciences, Lubbock, and Brian L Tiep in City of Hope National Medical Center, Pomona, California, USA, Respiratory Disease Management Institute, Pomona, California, USA and Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA. Rebecca Tiep is working in Respiratory Disease Management Institute, Pomona, California, USA. The authors of this article are of the view that there is a lack of patient and family understanding regarding Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and its co-morbid conditions associated with smoking and second hand smoke. The authors are of the view that one of the major reasons for COPD is the second hand smoke. I plan to use this source in the first body paragraph of my essay to make the readers aware of the consequences of second hand smoke and the necessity of preventing smoking in public places like Myrtle Beach. DHHS. “Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch”. 2012. Web. 02 April 2012. Secondary Source This article is taken from a governmental portal and therefore its credibility need not be explained further. This article explains that prevention of smoking in public places encourage smokers to quit. I plan to use this article to argue that smoking prevention in beaches may help even smokers to quit. “How Does Smoking Hurt the Environment?”. 2011. Web. 02 April 2012. Secondary source This article explains the extent of damages caused to the environment by cigarette smokers all over the world. Since beach is a public place which is used extensively by smokers, beach environments can be damaged considerably. I plan to use this article to make the readers aware of the environmental damages caused by smokers. Lee, David J., Gaynor, Jeffrey J. & Trapido, Edward. “Secondhand Smoke and Earaches in Adolescents: The Florida Youth Cohort Study”. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. Volume 5, Number 6 (December 2003) 943–946 Secondary Source Original intended audience: Academics, researchers, children, smokers and nonsmokers The credentials of the authors are not mentioned in this report. However, this work was supported by the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute, the Florida Department of Health (contract # COTH5), and the Florida Biomedical Research Foundation. The association between second-hand smoke exposure and adolescent middle ear problems were explored in this research with the help of a telephonic survey conducted among a total of 785 Florida adolescents. The authors are of the view that earache is one of the major health problem associated with the breathing of second hand smoke. I plan to use this source in the first body paragraph of my essay to substantiate my claims that secondhand smoke could cause health problems like earache. Reynolds, Patrick. “Smoking Ban Needs More Pragmatism”. 2012. Web. 02 April 2012. Secondary Source Original intended audience: Academics, researchers, children, smokers and nonsmokers Even though the name is provided, the details of the author have not been disclosed in this article. This article explains the necessities of prohibiting smoking in US beaches. It describes the arguments in favor and against smoking prevention in beaches. I will use this article in the introduction paragraph of my paper for getting more insights into the health problems associated with secondhand smoke. Read More