The Dangers of Tobacco Products

“Every year, smoking accounts for more than 7 million preventable deaths worldwide. The annual deaths are expected to reach 8 million by 2030 if no, cost effectiveness measures to reduce smoking are initiated” (Habiyaremye).  Although some people choose to believe that tobacco products are not a threat, more and more people are dying each year from the negative effects of them. An epidemic has truly started with the obsessive usage of vapes and electronic cigarettes. All tobacco products should be banned in the United States because they are harmful to the human body, because the smoke from cigarettes and vapes harm the planet, and because no one knows for sure what is actually in the products.

Using Tobacco products can lead to very many health issues. “Studies funded by academic institutions, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the FDA and the Emphysema Research Fund show links between e-cigarette use and cardiovascular issues, respiratory disease and DNA damages that may be a harbinger of cancer” (Ducharme).One of the main health problems using vapes and cigarettes can cause is Cancer. Cancer is one of the leading causes of health related deaths in America, and using  tobacco products can lead to cancer.  When people are using these vaping products it is releasing chemicals into their lungs (Ducharme). When the chemicals are released they are damaging the lungs.  Nicotine is the very addictive chemical found in tobacco that makes everyone want more. The younger generation is getting addicted to vapes and cigarettes. Statistics have shown that people who start vaping are more likely to start smoking cigarettes as well. Dip and chew are tobacco products that are harmful to people’s health too. Dip is made to sit in the pocket of someone’s lip and release the nicotine. After using Dip for a long span of time it can start to cause gum diseases and even lead to oral cancers. Using dip can also lead to tooth decay. Some people may argue that only vaping, smoking a cigarette, or using dip once or twice a day will not harm their bodies. At first this is true, but once the brain gets the chemicals from the nicotine it will want more. Once the brain wants the sensation your body will crave the nicotine causing you to get addicted. You will start using the product more often and could potentially get cancer, have stunted lungs or worse case scenario, death.

The smoke from electronic cigarettes, vapes and cigarettes are harmful to the environment. The smoke that is released into the air has many chemicals and toxins in it that are dangerous to inhale and dangerous for the environment (Ducharme). The earth has a hole in the atmosphere called the Ozone Hole. If people continue to smoke, all the smoke from the cigarettes and vapes are going to eventually cause the hole to grow wider in size, leading to global warming. Ashtrays are not seen very often in public places. Most people that smoke cigarettes will just drop the buds on the ground or throw the buds out the window when they are done with the cigarette. People who vape will do the same thing with the empty pods instead of throwing them in the trash can. All of the vape pods and cigarette buds are creating pollution all over the world. There are many homeless people and animals everywhere. When smokers throw out their buds and pods it is like going to someone's house and just throwing trash all over it. It just is not fair. These poor, homeless animals could eat the buds, not knowing they are harmful, and end up getting very sick. Smokers argue the fact that if they only smoke once a day, the small amount of smoke from their cigarette will not harm the Earth. That is correct, but there are 125 million other people across the world thinking the same thing.  When 125 million people are all smoking cigarettes throughout the day, everyday, it will cause harmful effects on the environment.

Imagine being at a restuarnt and someone brings you out something that looks very nice, smells amazing and is prepared very fancy. You ask the server what is in it and they tell you a couple of bad foods and are not sure of the other products but they expect you to eat it because it looks nice. That is exactly how vapes and e-cigarettes are presented. They come in fancy, colorful wrappers that are appealing to the human eye, but they have harmful chemicals in them. Scientists have found chemicals and toxins in these products.  The legal age in Georgia is now 21 (Winickoff). With the rising of the age many teenagers are not able to buy tobacco products any more. Teens have turned to buying products from anyone who will let them. These people are buying products that could be poisoned or have more bad chemicals in them. No one really knows what is in the products that they buy. If the United States bans all tobacco products no one will be able to put worse things into them because they will nt even be allowed to have them.

All things considered, tobacco products should not be allowed in the United States. Using tobacco products can cause an outstanding amount of health problems from cancers to respiratory issues. All the after products of tobacco items are destroying our beautiful planet and damaging our ecosystem. Also, the tobacco products that people are using are full of chemicals and toxins that we are not sure of. Next time you think about smoking a cigarette or hitting a vape think of the life changing effects it can have on your life and on someone else's life.

Works Cited

• Ducharme, Jamie. Inside the Dangerous Rise of  Juul. Time International, September 30, 2019, http://search.ebscohost.com.proxygsu-lant.galileo.usg.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=bth&AN=138717735&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=lant. Accessed 8 March 2020.
• Habiyaremye.Tobacco use and associated factors among Rwandan youth aged 15-34 years: Findings from a nationwide survey, 2013. October 7, 2019, http://search.ebscohost.com.proxygsu-lant.galileo.usg.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=a9h&AN=139000161&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=lant. Accessed 9 March 2020.
• Wiknoff, Jonothan. Maximizing the Impact of Tobacco 21 Laws across the United States.  American Journal of Public Health , May 2018, http://search.ebscohost.com.proxygsu-lant.galileo.usg.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=bth&AN=128910722&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=lant. Accessed 8 March 2020.