Smoke Signals: Examining the Causes and Effects of Smoking

Smoking has been around for many years and has advanced with all the new brands, and new ways to obtain the drug. As we all know, one of the main ingredients found in tobacco is known as nicotine. This is only one of the many chemicals found in cigarettes. These days, one of the newest found ways to smoke is by vaping. While this method may seem “cool”, the dangers are no different than smoking a normal cigarette. This is smoking cause and effect essay in which will be an attempt to reveal this topic. 

Unfortunately, teenagers are one of the main targets for smoking, and they are now starting to pick up the habit at a young age. Currently, the legal age to purchase cigarettes is eighteen, but this could change in the near future. On January 15th,2019, The Daily Gazette published an article, “Editorial: Raise age for vaping, smoking”, suggesting the legal age to purchase tobacco products should be raised to twenty-one years old. While this will certainly not stop teenagers from smoking completely, it will make it more challenging for teenagers to get a hold of tobacco products. The legal age to purchase tobacco must be raised, otherwise we will always have to face an abundance of health issues. The Daily Gazette claims that ninety percent of adult smokers picked up the habit before turning eighteen. Instead of smoking, children should be enjoying their life by spending it with loved ones. However, in order for them to pick up this habit there needs to be a specific cause to take place. 

So, what exactly causes kids and teenagers to smoke? According to American Cancer Society, someone who have loved ones who smoke may follow their lead. However, parents and friends cannot be the only ones held accountable for this issue. Tobacco companies also play a role. The American Cancer Society mentioned that each year billions of dollars are spent to create advertisements only to show how smoking can be “exciting” or “glamorous”. This goes to show how corporations are using our children to gain more profits. However, even if we wanted to put a stop to the horrific acts caused by these large companies, there is a slim chance they will hear our pleads. So, until tobacco firms shut down or we get rid of the drug completely we will have to deal with the tragedies. The chemicals found in tobacco products is extremely harmful, and if consumed gradually over time can lead to serious complications. 

Some may find smoking to be “cool” or “neat”, but they are unaware of the major consequences. One of these consequences, is that their health is put at risk. One hazard that comes with smoking is that it can damage the human heart and blood vessels. Once damage has been done to the heart, there is not turning back, and other dangers are soon to follow. Another hazard is that kids who begin smoking will have more frequent headaches, experience shortness in breath, and have worse symptoms when they get sick. As mentioned earlier, The Daily Gazette, an online daily news site, recently published an editorial focusing on raising the age to purchase tobacco. The intended audience for this article is mainly aimed towards the general public, and towards smokers. Regardless of what the intended audience is, this is a problem that needs to be discussed. 

Smoking has already taken away too many lives, and that reason alone is enough to take action. Although, it may scare people to give up smoking upon hearing that they can die from a smoking-related illness, they need to be aware of the side effects that comes with smoking and vaping. Smoking is one of the leading causes of cancer and contributes to around thirty percent of all cancer deaths in the United States alone. Still this has not stopped anyone from going to their nearby grocery store or gas station to pick up a pack of cigarettes. No matter what warnings that are thrown their way, it never seems to show any change in the way they think. Eventually, more factors will come into play if they continue to fuel the fire. When someone smokes for the first time, it may not seem harmless. However, what if this one cigarette turns into multiple within a months’ time? Over time, a person may start smoking more each day and within a short time frame some changes make take place. For instance, an addiction to nicotine can form, which will make it difficult for the smoker to quit. Not only will their health be at risk, but their behavior will also begin to alter. A few examples of these changes in behavior include, getting into fights and experiencing depression. 

Despite all of these dangers that could happen to normal bystanders, we still have young teens putting their life on the line. One of the ways the author tries to appeal on the issue is through logos. The Daily Gazette mentioned that around eleven thousand children start smoking each year. Unfortunately, a large number of the eleven thousand children will lose their life due to a poor life choice. No one forced them to pick up the cigarette, which means that it was a self-induced action. However, we cannot always blame the child for the actions they have committed. There are always other factors that come into play that encourage someone to perform a certain act. Those factors could be living with parents who are long-term smokers, hanging around friends just developed the habit, or even just seeing an advertisement on television. Even so, once the habit has started there is no turning back or rewinding time. Not only did the author rely on logos to get the message across the audience, but pathos was also used. In the editorial, it was mentioned that two hundred eighty thousand children will die from illnesses related to smoking. This is a pretty large number and considering each year more children start smoking, it only makes the problem more devastating. A child deserves to live life to the fullest, not die at a young age due to an illness. Just imagining a mother and father losing their child can be excruciating heartbreaking. Losing any loved one, friend, or partner can be painful and upsetting, especially if their death could have been prevented simply by not developing the habit in the first place. Another thing to consider is that while vaping is an alternative, it has no known health benefits. Even though the liquids for electronic cigarettes smells sweet and taste delicious, there are still harmful chemicals present. However, there are alternatives that can be substituted in place of either cigarettes. If one likes the idea of vaping, but wants to quit tobacco, there are liquids that are nicotine-free. Another substitute would be nicotine gum to help one quit smoking. Of course, there are other ways to quit smoking for good, but it does take time depending on the person. 

In conclusion, The Daily Gazette has made a valid point on why the legal age to purchase tobacco should be raised to the age of twenty-one. I believe that the movement discussed in the editorial will bring about a positive future for teenagers. Raising the age limit to buy tobacco will save more lives and allow teenagers to make better life choices. If the age is raised, we will be able to lower the percentage of children smokers, and less children will die from smoking related illnesses, such as cancer or heart disease. Although this action will not put an end to smoking for good or convince teenagers to stop entirely, it will allow them to think more wisely about their decisions and possibly save their life. Smoking and vaping will never go away completely, but we can certainly do something to limit the amount of lives lost due to illnesses caused by tobacco.