Smoking in Public: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Essay Sample)

Smoking in Public
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Introduction
In the contemporary society, the debate as to whether smoking in public should be ban has been a major point of focus for many people. Over the past three decades, the numbers of people who have indulged in smoking have increased tremendously. Although the majority of people in the society are aware of dangers of smoking, many of them still resort to smoking. Even though smoking is a personal choice, people should consider the health, environment, and business repercussions of smoking. The purpose of this paper is to portray how smoking damages human health, environment, and business growth. The thesis statement is that smoking in public health should be ban because it contributes to loss of lives, destroy the environment, and inhibit business growth.
Smoking in Public
As to whether smoking in public should ban, I personally support the ban. According to a study conducted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it established that cigarette smoking in the United States causes about one of every five deaths in each year. In every year, the smoking of cigarette has been estimated to cause more than 48000 deaths where 278544 are men while 201773 are women (CDC, 2014). The research by CDC also established that smoking of cigarette reduces the life expectancy by 10 years for smokers as compared to non-smokers. The study further reveals that quitting smoking before or at the age of 40 reduces the risk of dying from diseases which are related to smoking.
The CDC study further reveals that secondhand smoke causes an average of 41000 deaths in the United States every year. The study further indicates that secondhand smoke causes an estimated 7333 deaths in every year from lung cancer. The study further shows that secondhand smoke causes 33, 951 deaths in every year from heart diseases (CDC, 2014). It is clear from the study that smoking not only causes death to direct users but also innocent non-users. The CDC study further reveals that men who indulge in smoking increase their chances of dying from emphysema and bronchitis by 17 times, and 23 times from cancer of lung, trachea, and bronchus.
The CDC report further indicates that men and especially middle-aged who are smoking increases their risk of dying from coronary heart diseases by 4 times as compared to non-smokers. The study further reveals that women who indulge in smoking have higher chances of dying from emphysema and bronchitis by 12 times, and more than 13 times from cancer of bronchus, lung, and trachea (CDC, 2014). From 1960 to 1990, the deaths from cancer of lung among women increased by an estimated 500 percent, and in 1987, death caused by lung cancer exceeded breast cancer. In 2000 alone, it was estimated that more than 67600 women die from cancer of the lung. The study found that smoking among the middle-aged women increases chances or risks of dying from coronary heart diseases 5 times as compared to non-smokers.
In terms of the environment, various studies have established that most of the pollution is contributed by smoking. Studies have found that cigarette, when it gets burned, produces carbon dioxide that when it accumulates in the atmosphere destroys the ozone layer which in turn contributes to global warming. The studies have also shown that cigarette butts contribute to water pollution. A study conducted by American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) established that cigarette contains more than 4000 chemicals that are dangerous to the environment (Jamal et al, 2015). The study by AAPCC further estimated that there are 4500 billion cigarette butts worldwide. Even though cigarette butts are biodegradable, it has been established that cigarette butts take more than 25 years to fully decompose into the soil.
A statistic report conducted in 1995 indicated that tobacco industry produces more than 0.2262 trillion kilograms of manufacturing waste in each year. The study further indicated that the tobacco industry produces 0.209 million tons of waste products during production. The rises in the waste products pose serious environmental problems. A study conducted by AAPCC in 2008 indicates that there were more than 7300 reports of potential toxic tobacco exposure (Jamal et al, 2015). The huge number of cases registered portrays a saddening and worrying trend in our society.
Even though those who are against the ban on smoking in public might argue that prohibiting smoking in the public will infringe the rights of the smokers, it is important to understand that non-smokers also have the right to breathe clean air. Moreover, children and small animals have a risk of accidentally consuming cigarette butts in the environment (General, 2014). Various studies have established that when young children and small animals accidentally consume the butts of cigarette, they may suffer from tremors, respiratory failures, vomiting, and in some situations death.
Although many people are ignorant on the immediate side effects of cigarette smoking, it is prudent to point out that cigarette is a toxic waste. The toxic that are contained by cigarette can leach into water bodies. When it leaches into water bodies, it may cause diarrhea. According to a controlled experiment which was carried in northern Italy at a private garage, it was established that cigarette smoke produces 10 times more air pollution as compared to diesel car exhaust (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2014). The study further reveals that smoking cigarette produces fine matters that are toxic to human health and air. When the toxic particles are consumed by a human being, it causes serious diseases.
In terms of economy, cigarette smoking costs strain heal...