Battle Of Tobacco Research Paper

Battle of Tobacco

Picture America with smoky skies everyday, people coughing and choking everywhere they go, and children having asthma attacks every time they step outside to play. This would be America if smoking tobacco products in public continues to be legal. Smoking tobacco emits secondhand smoke, which is a very harmful compound of chemicals that can be fatal to those who may be exposed to it. Smoking tobacco products should be banned in public places because these products emit secondhand smoke, causes many health effects in children, and also creates serious health problems in adults.

Cigarettes, pipes, cigars and other tobacco products let off a combination of chemicals known as secondhand smoke. The United States Environmental Protection

These statistics show that amounts of cancerous and toxic chemicals are incredibly high, therefore, smoking should be illegal in public because these chemicals affect the health of the surrounding civilians. Chemicals in tobacco products range from toxic metals, to poisonous gases, to carcinogens, or cancer causing chemicals. The CDC lists examples of these chemicals and other uses by describing, “Formaldehyde is used to embalm dead bodies. Benzene is found in gasoline. Polonium-210 is radioactive and very toxic. Vinyl Chloride is used to make pipes. Carbon Monoxide is found in car exhaust. Hydrogen Cyanide is used in chemical weapons. Butane is used in lighter fluid. Ammonia is used in household cleaners. Toluene is found in paint thinners. Cadmium is used in making batteries. Lead was once used in paint and pencils. Arsenic is used in pesticides. Chromium is used to make steel” (Be Tobacco Free 2). These chemicals have very dangerous secondary uses and are not ideal substances that should be ingested by humans. The

According to The United States Environmental Protection Agency, “Exposure to Secondhand Smoke can cause asthma in children who have not previously exhibited symptoms. Also exposure to Secondhand smoke increases the risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Infants and children younger than 6 who are regularly exposed to Secondhand smoke are at increased risk of lower respiratory tract infection such as pneumonia and bronchitis, and also are at an increased risk for middle ear infections” (“Exposure” 1). These health risks are especially alarming because tobacco smoke is causing problems in children that cannot fight against them. When the products are giving off emissions that these children are forced to inhale. Furthermore, these emissions cause major problems with asthma in children. The American Lung Association points out, “Secondhand smoke can aggravate symptoms in 400,000 to 1,000,000 children with asthma. In the United States, 21 million, or 35 percent, of children live in homes where residents or visitors smoke in the home on a regular basis. Approximately 50-75 percent of children in the United States have detectable levels of cotinine, the breakdown product of nicotine in the blood” (“Smoking” 2). Also The United States Environmental Protection Agency informs, “Exposure to Secondhand smoke causes asthma in children who have not previously shown symptoms.