Argumentative Essay On Tobacco

Tobacco is and always has been a part of American culture. Since the late 1700’s the tobacco plant has had its roots in American soil. And since then, there have been many who chose to speak out against it. According to well known political comedian Jackie Mason, “It is more profitable for your congressman to support the tobacco industry than your life.”There is no question tobacco is harmful to those who ingest it, but a plant that’s been used by mankind for centuries must have some positive and some negative effects. I will research and discuss this highly controversial topic more in depth to persuade America’s youth to think hard of the consequences before lighting up their first cigarette. Firstly, the topic of how tobacco use can have

has a very important history which has drastically changed our nation over time. When Europe first discovered the new world and began colonizing the tobacco plant it played a crucial part in America’s agricultural success. At this time tobacco was selling for pennies per pound which contributed to the world’s first tobacco boom created by the American consumer. By the mid 1800’s tobacco had not only increased in price, but was now supporting a large amount of colonist across the Americas. By the 1900’s tobacco production, distribution, and exportation has increased significantly. An example of this sudden surge of tobacco use is certain when, the American Tobacco Company released the details of their exponential stock on the American Stock Exchange which listed tobacco at $25,000,000 in 1890 and by the year 1903 it was listed at over $316,000,000 (ATC). With numbers like those it’s no surprise why America saw an enormous increase in the amount of tobacco products being produced and consumed. Our nation continued to give into the temptation of tobacco until the 1960’s when modern medical science first allowed us to classify the severe health complications tobacco products have on the consumer. Since this scientific breakthrough there has been a drastic change of view by the public concerning tobacco. Figure 2 below is a perfect example of how much American culture has outgrown

However there are still some activists dedicated to finding a safe, responsible, acceptable way to use tobacco. According to many experts around the world tobacco has been used by people since at least 1 BC (Tobacco History). If proven correct that would mean tobacco was one of the first plants used recreationally by mankind. Almost a thousand years later the Mayan civilization creates the first pictorial depiction of tobacco use on a pottery vessel. Around 500 years later Christopher Columbus while exploring the new found land documents a meeting with local people where they bring him many gifts including, “Certain type of leaves that gave off a distinct fragrance.”(Columbus) It wasn’t until decades later people across the globe began to realize the substantial effects of this new found plant when smoked. By the 19th century the tobacco plant had its roots in every continent in the world. Due to the massive increase of tobacco production across the world people began to experiment with different uses for the plant. Most importantly, the medicinal use of tobacco’s most prevalent and also most addictive chemical nicotine. Nicotine has been used to treat anything from bug bites to Alzheimer’s disease. A recent report released by Stanford University concluded, nicotine can boost the growth of blood vessels which would help treat diseases like