Everyone is already warned by all this information. Then why do they still continue to apply this bad act despite being well aware of the dire consequences? Scientists has medically proven, now recognized and more widely accepted that the reason people continue to smoke, despite the severe health risks smoking require, is because nicotine is a highly addictive drug.
Nicotine is an organic compound that comes from the tobacco plant naturally. It is composed of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen and belongs to a group of compounds called alkaloids. Nicotine is a stimulant that increases the load of work in the brain as well as a person's memory. On the downside, nicotine increases blood pressure and heart rate, causes you to breathe faster and less deeply and it constricts the arteries. When cigarette smoke is inhaled, nicotine immediately absorbs into the lungs and enters blood vessels in the lung. From these tiny blood vessels, the nicotine enters the bloodstream and travels directly to the brain. Then, it makes you want it more, and more. Thus, there is no doubt that smokers are increasing day by day.
It is obvious that science cannot change anything about the fact that Nicotine is a highly addictive drug. However, scientists nowadays have successfully invented less harmful cigarettes. According to the British American Tobacco Company, “For many diseases attributable to tobacco use, reducing risk of diseases by reducing exposure to tobacco toxicants is feasible”. (3) British American Tobacco's own work throughout the busy years paid off. They were able to reduce the amount of tar from a cigar using a machine that focused on filters, ventilation, and other design features to reduce tar.
Its nonsense to say “just a try” or “just going to do this once, never again”. Once you enter the ‘smoking world’ it will be really hard to quit or even it may forever be with you until the end. “The result is that one cigarette leads to another and so on.” (4) Though the states have strict norms to warn the people about the banes of smoking, the truth remains that people still buys the cigarettes and the cigarette industries remain rollicking. Hence, this isn’t happening only in one particular country, but worldwide.
From the image above, we can conclude that the top 5 cigarette consuming country in the world is China, USA, Japan, Russia, Indonesia. “Global consumption of cigarettes has been rising steadily since manufactured cigarettes were introduced at the beginning of the 20th century.” (5) While consumption is leveling off and even decreasing in some countries, worldwide more people are smoking, and smokers are smoking more cigarettes.
According to the tables above, smoking is still a major problem across the world. But we can see the differences of male and female smokers, in average; there is a greater amount of male smokers. Thus, the percentage of youngsters smoking is also quite immense. Why is that so? Peer pressure. Teenagers tend to follow the people close to them; for instance, if a family member smokes then the child will smoke in order to look like them. Perhaps, others may think that smoking will make them highly accepted by the society; it will get them in the ‘crowd’. Whereas, a number of children are have a high level of curiosity thus results them to try the cigarettes ‘for fun’. However, whether you’re a teenager, adult, male, or female, smoking will still affect your body in countless negative ways.
Not to mention, smoking does get affected from cultural aspects. Throughout the years, the media has successfully influenced people to smoke, drink alcohol, and sex.
Seems like movies; even from the olden days include cultural images of smokers and depict it in a very positive way. Hence, brands/media which promotes smoking may cause a greater amount of smokers to exist.
Even though tobacco industries around the world doesn’t plan to trigger young people to smoke, but the consequence of sponsoring thrilling, risky, macho sports, is that it attracts the attention of young boys.
“A study found that boys who were fans of motor racing, which is heavily sponsored by the tobacco industry, were more likely to smoke than those who weren't.” (6)
It’s a wonder why these images don’t bring up the negatives of smoking; “from the yellow stains on your fingers and the stench of your breath, or the long-term serious consequences from smoking.” (7)
In essence, there are no doubts that smoking creates numerous negative affects to the human machine. Smoking cigarettes can harm almost every organ in your body, from top to bottom and inside and out. Moreover, once you smoke, you are taking a step leading to death. Hence we can see the smoking isn’t beneficial in any way for humans, so why should we smoke? In order to sustain the human machine, it is best for us to not do unnecessary things that harm and damage our body. A smoker is not just a person who smokes some cigarettes. “Smoking is a lifestyle. And the lifestyle of a smoker is very different than that of a non-smoker. Because smoking becomes so integrated into what you do and affects the decisions you make it becomes integral to who you are as a person.” (8) However, it’s true that we as humans have the rights to make our own decisions. But, it is not anybody else’s responsibility of our own decisions so our decisions remark our own future. Healthiness is a choice so choose wisely.
Glossary
Absorb- take in or soak up (energy, or a liquid or other substance) by chemical or physical action, typically gradually
Carbon- a black, solid non-metal which occurs as charcoal or soot, for example. Its atoms are able to combine together to make ring or chain molecules. These molecules make up most of the chemicals of living organisms. One of the simplest compounds of carbon dioxide.
Compound- two or more elements joined together form a compound. Carbon dioxide, is a compund of carbon and oxygen. Potassium nitrate, is a compound of potassium, nitrogen, and oxygen.
Element- a element is a substance which cannot be broken down into anything else. Sulphur is a non-metallic element. Iron is metallic element. Oxygen and nitrogen are gaseous elements. Water is not an element because it can be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen.
Energy- heat, movement, light, electricity, etc. anything which can be harnessed to do some kind of work is energy. Food consists of substances containing chemical energy.
Hydrogen- a gas which burns very readily. It is present in only tiny amounts in the air bur forms part of many compounds such as water and organic compounds like carbohydrates and fats.
Organic- a substance produced by a living organism. Organic chemicals are things like carbohydrates, protein, fat. They have very large molecules and are often insoluble in water.
Oxygen- a gas which makes up about 20% of the air. It combines with other substances and oxidizes them, sometimes producing heat and light energy. In plants and animals it combines with food to release energy.
Resources
(1) "The Human Machine." The Human Machine. 27 June 2007. Web. 21 Oct. 2011. <http://humanmachine.wordpress.com/>.
(2) "Smoking: MedlinePlus." National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. 19 Apr. 2011. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/smoking.html>.
(3) "British American Tobacco - Is There a Less Harmful Cigarette?" British American Tobacco - British American Tobacco. 4 Oct. 2011. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. <http://www.bat.com/group/sites/uk__3mnfen.nsf/vwpagesweblive/do52ane2?opendocument>.
(4) "Cigar Smoking and Cancer - National Cancer Institute." Comprehensive Cancer Information - National Cancer Institute. 27 Oct. 2010. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/cigars>.
(5) George, Edwin. "Global Tobacco Consumption Map." Scribd. 9 Jan. 2010. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.scribd.com/doc/16604267/Global-Tobacco-Consumption-Map>.
(6) (7) Bonas, Shella. "Smoking: Psychological and Social Influences." NetDoctor.co.uk - The UK's Leading Independent Health Website. 17 May 2005. Web. 25 Oct. 2011. <http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/smoking/psychologicalinfluences_000509.htm>.
(8) "Teen Smoking - Message to Teenagers about Smoking Cigarettes and Tobacco." Marc Perkel's Web Site. 17 Dec. 2003. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://www.perkel.com/politics/issues/smoke.htm>.
