Tobacco Can Benefit A Person's Life

The United States’ economy appears large and formidable to foreign countries, but it is actually a delicate balance. One of the key contributors to the balance of the economy is tobacco. Tobacco has played a role in global economic ties since the discovery of the Americas. Instantly popularized across the world, it has become a staple crop for many countries. Recently, however, political leaders have been murmuring of making tobacco illegal due to its health effects. The legality of tobacco is essential because it has several health benefits, employs countless workers, and contributes hundreds of thousands of dollars to the global economy.

The first reason that tobacco should be illegal is because of its effects on the United States economy. In the United States tobacco has harmed the economy because it has taken away from the price discounts that can be given out for products because tobacco products alone account for 84.3% of all of these discounts.This means that for things that people require to live, like food or water , have not received the discounts that they may require. The prices of have increased and people are spending more on products that they need while tobacco products which are not essential to live have been received the discounts. Another example is the amount of money spent on treating. In the United States alone “nearly $170 billion in direct medical care for adults” who suffer from a tobacco related illness (). This means that if tobacco was made illegal the amount of money spent on the medical bills could be put to use for other expenses. With the repurposing of this money it can help with research into deadly diseases, be put to save others lives, or help give money to those who need it. These are some reasons why tobacco should be illegal.

Tobacco has been around in the world for over 2.5 million years. It was not until a few hundred years ago when the tobacco industry decided to put these crops into use and conjure up tobacco products for the community. A popular tobacco product in society is cigarettes, as they are cheap and simple to use. As long as one is over eighteen, acquiring cigarettes is a straightforward process for a reasonable price, albeit the sin tax. It was not until recently when cigarettes became widely controversial due to the plant containing nicotine, an addictive drug to the body. Aside from containing nicotine and other hazardous chemicals to the body, cigarettes also cause a whole host of health implications

We have all been there in line waiting to purchase something from the store; we step up for our turn take out money that we believe should be enough only to find out that we forgot to count in the taxes and now have to dig into our purse, wallet or pocket to find the extra change, or in some cases dollars. There is a joke that there are a few things we are guaranteed in life, taxes and death. While it may be a joke it holds a fair amount of truth, depending on where you live. Taxes are everywhere “invisible” or obvious taxes, but lets focus more closely on the taxes involving cigarettes. To me as a non smoker it makes sense and I am for it, taxes help the governments budget and other areas. However one must begin to wondered the effects taxes on one of the biggest markets in the United States have, for those who do smoke and those who enjoy an, excuse my banter, but live shaver.

History has proven that government penalties, in the form of taxes, deter smoking. The 2000 U.S. Surgeon General’s Report, Reducing Tobacco Use, found that raising tobacco-product prices decreases the prevalence of tobacco use, and tobacco tax increases produce significant long-term improvements in health. From its review of existing research, the report concluded that raising tobacco taxes is one of the most effective tobacco prevention and control strategies (7). Along with price increases, mass-media campaigns and smoking bans have made cigarette smoking pretty much unacceptable in today’s society. “Today, approximately 22 percent of adults age twenty-two and older are smokers, compared with 33 percent in 1979” (Thorpe 1440). It is clear, from these examples, the use of penalties to deter the unhealthy behavior of smoking is a successful intervention.

Consumption of Tobacco is a worldwide phenomenon. Nearly every country is planning to raise more restrictions around the consumption of Tobacco. The awareness about its ill effects is rising through the corridors of Parliaments of many countries with the help of governmental and non-governmental organizations. There are some internationally recognized organizations like the “World Lung Foundations” that are striving hard to reduce the consumption of tobacco to a bare minimum. There are numerous reasons that support the argument that tobacco should be completely banned from the United Sates.

At the outset, there are numerous reasons why governments should protect their citizens from Tobacco products but the most conspicuous one being that wastage of funds that could have been used for different purposes for example, build new roads, schools or invest in healthcare itself.

The Institute of Medicine found that children, who are born between 2000 and 2019, would suffer 249,000 fewer premature deaths and 45,000 fewer deaths from lung cancer, when the legal age to purchase tobacco is increased from 18 to 21 years old (atg.wa.gov 2016). Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S, which causes many chronic health complications such as heart disease, cancer, and lung disease (atg.wa.gov 2016). Raising the legal age to purchase tobacco products to 21 in Washington state will decrease the use later in adult life specifically, ages 15 to 17 who are targeted the most through tobacco companies due to their vulnerability and gives loyalty to a specific tobacco company from the addiction of nicotine. Needham, Massachusetts campaigned to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 in 2005 and won. Results are already compelling, showing that between 2006 and 2012 Needham’s high school smoking rate dropped more than half among girls and boys (atg.wa.gov 2016). Given that nicotine can be such an addictive drug and be seen to be used as a coping mechanism, specifically ages 15 to 17 through their developing stages of life, needs to encounter harder access to get their hands on tobacco products. According to the Center of Disease Control, one in 13 Americans age 17 or younger alive today are estimated to die prematurely due to the effects of smoking (atg.wa.gov 2016). Raising the legal age to

“Loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, and dangerous to the lungs.” says King James of England and Scotland, describing smoking in 1604 (Connolly 13). Tobacco use kills millions of people a year but still only has few legal restrictions. Many argue that the use of tobacco is a right we have in the United States but the harm that it does to the innocent may outweigh those rights. Because the use of tobacco negatively impacts the health of both the users and those around them, all tobacco products and their use should be illegal.

illegal. We must also consider the thousands of employees who will be left unemployed if such a

In the United States 20% of all deaths are caused from tobacco smoke; it is the most leading cause of preventable death. Anyone who smokes may not be aware they are affecting everyone else around them. Most doctors give information about smoking to mothers so they know how dangerous it is when their child is breathing in the smoke. Children two years of age or younger have a higher risk for developing a serious condition or if they already have one it could make that worse. To help a child to not develop a serious condition the best thing for a smoker to do is to quit. Although, be sure to be aware of other smokers. Children can still be exposed to tobacco smoke in many different places including: restaurants, the mall, a grocery store, and

Tobacco is one of the world's dangerous drug which is haunting human lives to death. Over a billion adults are addicted to this drug and wasting their money, time and health. Nowadays there has been an ongoing debate/discussion among many people about the role of government in restricting the usage of Tobacco and thereby safeguarding the health of the public. In my personal opinion, both government and the Individual together needs to work to overcome this problem.

With this idea makes it difficult for Congress, according to Public Health Law center "potential impact of recent court rulings on the future of tobacco regulation" (You Don't Say? Tobacco & the First Amendment). The tobacco industry making it difficult for new regulation gives them time to develop a strategy to increase revenue. What these companies are doing to keep a steady increase in revenue are raising prices because of the a declined in products being sold from high taxes and acts such as the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act in place (Against All Odds, the U.S. Tobacco Industry Is Rolling in Money). Another main reason it is still gaining revenue is that using tobacco can become addicting with an addiction comes a craving for that thing. These cravings will not stop some people no matter how much taxes and education increase on tobacco. According to the Wall Street Journal "Revenues for U.S. tobacco companies hit $117 billion in 2016, up from $78 billion in 2001" (Against All Odds, the U.S. Tobacco Industry Is Rolling in Money). This is surprising because of all of the negative stigma surrounding tobacco now a day because of the negative stigma with tobacco there is a rise in popularity for

Thomas provides an evidence in regard to tobacco use. He states, New York City made reducing smoking a top priority, increasing the tobacco tax in 2002 and making virtually all workplaces smoke free in 2003. Tobacco use declined rapidly in 2003 and 2004, but the decline then stalled, a development that would not have been known if New York City had not begun conducting large community surveys on an annual basis beginning in 2002. In thinking of this evidence, there should be more implementations such as these to prevent the public from the use tobacco. Since this works I t would a great to increase the tax on tobacco. The government should really take in the over this since the people do really care about the health I just that it necessary for someone people to be treated as kids. I just that it is even worse than in the case of children these people know that the use of tobacco is wrong, but they go head and use it. It is just frustrating and angry some to see people waste their health to something not worth of wasting for. It is just my belief the government not only to increase taxes on tobacco but also ban it. In a sense I viewed tobacco as bioterrorism to the public. Not only to the consumer, but also the public in general because this is causing the second hand smoker people to get sick. Then again, it is all profit and whatever that makes the most profit to the economy and one going chain. The sellers are gaining their profit and the health care as well and only person at the damaging is the

Tobacco products, specifically cigarettes, are products that usually cause a slow, painful death. If death is not eventually caused as a direct result of tobacco products, they can still result in various other debilitating illnesses. It is not only health that the use of tobacco products causes to decline, but also the monetary security of the individual indulging in these items. Whether it is money or health, tobacco products cause severe degradation in both categories. Cigarettes and other items such as snuff can be both directly and indirectly linked to many thousand cases of death and illness each year in the United States. There is no benefit to be gained from use of these harmful reagents, and for that reason a debilitating excise tax should be placed on tobacco products.