Argumentative Essay: Should Cigarettes Be Banned?
Jacob Beacham
8th Grade English
Mrs. King
April 26, 2016
Should Smoking be Banned? There are more than 7,000 chemicals in a single cigarette. Those chemicals can be very harmful. Smoking cigarettes should be illegal because you can get lung cancer and secondhand smoke harms other people that are around you.
First of all, most people get lung cancer. For example, according to the article What Causes Lung Cancer states “That smoking causes about 90% of all lung cancer” (pg. 1). That means smoking causes the majority of lung cancer. For instance, the American Lung Association states “It is a proven fact that you are 23 times more likely for women and 13 times more likely for men to get lung cancer compared to people who don’t smoke.” It is more
likely to get lung cancer is you smoke. Furthermore, the American Cancer Society “states that tobacco is responsible for 1/5th of the United States deaths.” That is a lot of people.
Another reason is, second hand smoke harms people around people that smoke. For instance, the American Lung Association says everyone has a 20 to 30% easier chance getting lung cancer if you are around someone who smokes. You have a better chance not getting lung cancer if you aren't around people that smoke. The American Lung Association also states “Secondhand smoke causes approximately 7,330 deaths from lung cancer and 33,950 deaths from heart disease each year.” Second hand smoke can cause lots of death just by being around someone who smokes. For example, the American Cancer Society writes “Second hand smoke causes cancer, even in people who never smoked a cigarette.” In fact second hand smoke can cause lots of different kinds cancer not just lung cancer.
One might object that lots of people are addicted to cigarettes, but they can also cause problems. One problem is that cigarettes affect the entire population. For instance, Norma Chew confirms that smoking cigarettes pollutes the environment. Another problem is that cigarettes kill people. According to the article Second Hand Smoke Kills 600,000 Annually the text states that 5 billion people die from tobacco related illness. My last reason is that cigarettes can cause house fires. Referring to the article 10 Reasons Tobacco Should Be Banned it explains that Smokers are 7 times more likely to have a house fire.
Because you can get lung cancer and secondhand smoke can harm other people around people who smoke, cigarettes should be banned. If cigarettes aren’t banned then we could end up trying to treat cancer for the rest of our lives and hurt the environment even more than it already is.
Works Cited
"10 Reasons Tobacco Should Be Banned Or Not Banned - History and Headlines." History and Headlines. 16 June 2014. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Causes of Lung Cancer: Smoking, Asbestos, and More." WebMD. WebMD. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Health Risks of Secondhand Smoke." Health Risks of Secondhand Smoke. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Lung Cancer Fact Sheet." American Lung Association. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Secondhand Smoke Kills 600,000 Worldwide Annually." The Chart RSS. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Smoking Facts." American Lung Association. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Three Reasons Why Smoking Should Be Banned." LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Tobacco-Related Cancers Fact Sheet." Tobacco-Related Cancer Fact Sheet. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
8th Grade English
Mrs. King
April 26, 2016
Should Smoking be Banned? There are more than 7,000 chemicals in a single cigarette. Those chemicals can be very harmful. Smoking cigarettes should be illegal because you can get lung cancer and secondhand smoke harms other people that are around you.
First of all, most people get lung cancer. For example, according to the article What Causes Lung Cancer states “That smoking causes about 90% of all lung cancer” (pg. 1). That means smoking causes the majority of lung cancer. For instance, the American Lung Association states “It is a proven fact that you are 23 times more likely for women and 13 times more likely for men to get lung cancer compared to people who don’t smoke.” It is more
likely to get lung cancer is you smoke. Furthermore, the American Cancer Society “states that tobacco is responsible for 1/5th of the United States deaths.” That is a lot of people.
Another reason is, second hand smoke harms people around people that smoke. For instance, the American Lung Association says everyone has a 20 to 30% easier chance getting lung cancer if you are around someone who smokes. You have a better chance not getting lung cancer if you aren't around people that smoke. The American Lung Association also states “Secondhand smoke causes approximately 7,330 deaths from lung cancer and 33,950 deaths from heart disease each year.” Second hand smoke can cause lots of death just by being around someone who smokes. For example, the American Cancer Society writes “Second hand smoke causes cancer, even in people who never smoked a cigarette.” In fact second hand smoke can cause lots of different kinds cancer not just lung cancer.
One might object that lots of people are addicted to cigarettes, but they can also cause problems. One problem is that cigarettes affect the entire population. For instance, Norma Chew confirms that smoking cigarettes pollutes the environment. Another problem is that cigarettes kill people. According to the article Second Hand Smoke Kills 600,000 Annually the text states that 5 billion people die from tobacco related illness. My last reason is that cigarettes can cause house fires. Referring to the article 10 Reasons Tobacco Should Be Banned it explains that Smokers are 7 times more likely to have a house fire.
Because you can get lung cancer and secondhand smoke can harm other people around people who smoke, cigarettes should be banned. If cigarettes aren’t banned then we could end up trying to treat cancer for the rest of our lives and hurt the environment even more than it already is.
Works Cited
"10 Reasons Tobacco Should Be Banned Or Not Banned - History and Headlines." History and Headlines. 16 June 2014. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Causes of Lung Cancer: Smoking, Asbestos, and More." WebMD. WebMD. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Health Risks of Secondhand Smoke." Health Risks of Secondhand Smoke. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Lung Cancer Fact Sheet." American Lung Association. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Secondhand Smoke Kills 600,000 Worldwide Annually." The Chart RSS. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Smoking Facts." American Lung Association. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Three Reasons Why Smoking Should Be Banned." LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
"Tobacco-Related Cancers Fact Sheet." Tobacco-Related Cancer Fact Sheet. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.