Smoking: Hazardous to Your Health

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Smoking: Hazardous to Your Health

A about two weeks ago I read an essay called, “Thank You for Smoking…?” by Peter Brimelow. This essay’s main point tries to explain how smoking can be beneficial in some ways. Brimelow’s essay claims smoking can help while driving. Brimelow also thinks smoking can help protect personal freedoms along with benefiting health in some ways (141). Nonetheless, cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of premature death in the United States (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report). Clearly then, smoking is a very hazardous activity and causes many deaths.

Driving and Smoking

Brimelow informs his readers that smoking can increase alertness and dexterity which will help when driving (Brimelow 141). It has been confirmed that this is true. Although I do not smoke, should I if I am getting sleepy while driving? Fortunately, it is not necessary. There are many other aids that can help with alertness, such as caffeine. Many popular drinks such as coffee, cappuccino, or pop contain caffeine which can help eliminate tiredness.

There are hazardous of smoking while driving also. Cigarettes can be cumbersome and a distraction while driving. If there is anything flammable in the vehicle, a lit cigarette poses a possible hazard. Also, if other people are in the car at the same time, they will be forced to inhale the dangerous toxins floating around.

Freedom

While talking about freedom and personal choices, Brimelows’ essay notes that we are able to “…judge, as individuals, that the reward outweighs the risk. This is called freedom”(141). It is difficult to provide everyone with their desires associated with smoking. I hate the sme...

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...enefit in a few small ways, but has many more negative consequences. Smoking, along with second-hand smoke, has caused many preventable deaths in the United States. Smoking is obviously hazardous, along with being the cause of many deaths in the United States.

Works Cited

Brimelow, Peter. “Thank You for Smoking…?” The Genre of Argument. Ed. Irene L. Clark. Boston: Thomson-Heinle, 1998.

“Cigarette Smoking-Attributable Mortality and Years of Potential Life Lost—United States, 1990” 19 Sept. 1998 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 18 March 2004 <http://www.cdc.gov.mmwr.preview/mmwrhtml/00021441.htm>.

Clark, Irene L. The Genre of Argument. Ed. Irene L. Clark. Boston: Thompson-Heinle, 1998.

“OMA position paper on second-hand smoke” Nov. 1996 Ontario Medical Association. 16 March 2004 <http://www.oma.org/phealth/2ndsmoke.htm>.

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