The Negative Effects Of Tobacco Use

There is presently much controversy regarding tobacco consumption and the effect that it has on first hand smokers and on the world as a whole. While millions of people from around the world are smokers and while the masses are generally familiar with the effects that tobacco has on society, people continue to accept smoking as one of the principal vices that society has to deal with. It is certainly worrying that people are presented with the harmful effects of smoking at a young age and that many come to ignore these effects later in their lives. Addiction and society's pressures influence individuals in expressing little to no interest in their wellbeing and in the wellbeing of individuals around them.

Studies have shown that 9 out of 10 tobacco smokers first attempted smoking by 18 years of age while greater than 3,200 American youths aged 18 years and below smoked their first cigarette, and 2100 youths and young adults became addicted users (4). However, this has reportedly led American middle and high school youths to become susceptible to one form of tobacco products or the other and are at higher

Although it remains a large portion of the U.S’ economy, tobacco smoking can lead to a variety of diseases and disorders that affect the user. The effects of smoking tobacco not only affect the user but surrounding people as well: permanently destroying their lungs and children, increasing the chances of diseases and of cancer.

Addiction and substance abuse is a personal fear in most people worldwide. Young people are more susceptible to experimenting with tobacco and alcohol, than middle aged or older people are. Most people reported smoking at the age or eighteen, when they could legally purchase

Nicotine addiction is a most common addiction faced by adults and teens in today’s society, which could gradually lead to death eventually. A tobacco product such as a cigarettes, cigars, and pipes contains nicotine and 4,000 more different chemicals that are toxic to the body and brain physically and psychologically (CDC). Teen are pressured by their peers into start using nicotine products at early age in order to fit into a society or a group where it is symbolized as “Cool kids actions” to use this product, while adult use tobacco products because they are addicted. According to CDC more than 480,000 deaths annually are tobacco related death in which person was addicted to tobacco or victim of second hand smoke.

The negative health effects of tobacco use have been well established. Tobacco use has been shown to cause acute and chronic respiratory disease, heart disease, many types of cancer, and is the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United States, causing an estimated 443,000 deaths per year (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2004). As the dangers of smoking have become better understood, reducing the number of people who smoke has become a major focus for those interested in public health. Efforts to restrict the advertisement and sale of tobacco, implement public smoking bans, and educate citizens through public service announcements have all had a sizeable effect on smoking rates in the U.S. In Fact, over

Tobacco use is important to address especially because it affects the young adult population so prominently. The addictive components, mainly nicotine, is a major reason most young smokers continue to become adult smokers. This is such an important issue because smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths. On average, smokers die ten years earlier than nonsmokers. Additionally, the

In fact, smoking is among the leading causes of preventable deaths either through cigarette smoking by smokers and exposure to second-hand smoke in the case of those interacting with the smokers.

We know this statement and we see this in advertisements, in slogans, in posters and televisions everywhere and yet smoking still the leading cause of death in America. According to Centers for Communicable diseases, 2017, smoking is still the No. 1 cause of preventable death in the United States. It kills more people than infectious disease, abuse, firearms, obesity and traffic accidents. Some people do not believe that smoking is harmful to them. Some people do not notice the harm at first and by the time they notice the effects, they are addicted to it already. That is why the Word Health Organization calls it as “gradual killer”. Lastly, according to Sherry McKee, the director of Yale Behavioral Pharmacology Lab, “Most of the smokers think that they can just quit easily at any time and nearly all believe that they won’t be long-term smokers”. These are some of the knowledge gaps in tobacco use.

World-wide efforts have increased to alarm people of the danger in consuming tobacco products, both first hand and second hand. In recent years, reports have proven a decline in smoking. However, there are still millions of people that smoke in the United State of America. As a result, the effect of smoking has become a major health risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death, disease, and disability in the US.

Unfortunately, Scullion, Crumbie, Cumming, and Jebb (2013) warn there are always issues with age barriers--forbidden fruit can seem all the more attractive, especially to young people who can become inventive in their ability to access what they should not. Scullion et. al indicated research appears to show that increasing the minimum age for buying tobacco reduces the prevalence of smoking among young people. Sussman and Ping (2009) noted daily cigarette smoking prevalence in the United States increases from approximately four percent among 12-year-olds, 8 percent among 16-year-olds, 12 percent among 18-year-olds, 15 percent among 20-year-olds, and levels of among 26-year-olds at 22 percent. Otten, Van de Ven, Engels, and Van den Eijnden

Furthermore, in USA, nearly one of every five deaths is caused by tobacco. However, 32.9 percent of full time college students between 18 to 22 years old has smoke in the previous 30 days in 2001 and according to (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2002) for the young adults the rate was higher that is 44.6 percent. Thus half of Adolescents who have already smoke 100 cigarettes or even more will smoke for at least 16-20 years (Pierce and Gilpin 1996)

Tobacco use has and still continues to be a major health issue. The knowledge of tobacco use has increased throughout the years. There have been many major scientific studies that show various theories on tobacco use. Studies have shown that tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of leading death rates. According to Healthy People 2020, tobacco use causes several types of cancer such as lung, stomach, liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder etc. Tobacco use can also lead to heart disease (stroke), lung disease, reproductive effects, along with other effects such as type two diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, blindness, cataracts, immune function, and overall diminished health. The CDC states new cases on tobacco use in the United States, conducted

Attention getter: According to Tobacco-Free Kids, “about 400,000 people die from their own smoking each year, and about 50,000 die from second-hand smoke annually. Smoking kills more people than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders and

Tobacco; one of the most profitable products in history, an addictive substance, and a deadly killer. Smoking tobacco used to be a thing that was endorsed in American society. Now, with the new medical advances and knowledge, society has seen the side effects of smoking and how fatal it actually is. Teenagers have been one of the largest age groups that have been affected by smoking. After analyzing all possible reasons as to why teenagers would smoke while knowing it can affect their health, three possible reasons stuck out the most. Teenagers smoke despite knowing the health problems that originate from smoking because of peer pressure, an “invincibility” mentality, and seeing a role model or family member smoke.