air and smoke struck my face. The toxic smoke came from his stained mouth. The fumes from the cigarette he was smoking gagged me, forcing me to cough up the disgusting gas. Yet, I said nothing to him and acted as if it didn’t bother me.
I then realized how this happens far too often. Americans must not condone smoking by not saying anything, but take responsibility for their health and the health of others. People must convince walking smokestacks to quit this rude, and foul habit of smoking. The cost that smoking has on society far outreaches the $2. 59 that people pay for a pack of cigarettes. It is estimated that each year over 100 billion dollars is lost to smoking on everything from lost productivity of smokers, to the wasted money on cartons of Marlbros.
The cost of insurance also is increased because of smoking. Life insurance for a smoker is double that of nonsmokers, but it is also increased for non-smokers because of the effects of second hand smoke. Cigarettes are the second most advertised product on the market. Almost four billion dollars is spent on the promotion of the sales of cigarettes.
This money could be used for a more valuable cause like cancer research or conservation of rain forests. Instead it’s wasted on the promotion of a product that hurts the user as well as everyone associated with them. The business industry also feels the effects of smoking. Factories and corporations alike must build ventilated smoking areas for smokers to take a cigarette break. They then must build a non-smoking lounge so nonsmokers don’t have to ingest the horrid vapors. Companies must also make up for lost work when the smokers are absent.
The average smoker will miss six and half more days than a nonsmoker. This forces healthy nonsmoking workers to pick-up the slack for the coughing, infected smokers. Business owners should not put up with smokers missing days and taking cigarettes breaks. They shouldn’t endorse their addiction, but help them to quit this nasty addiction by setting up rehabilitation sessions. Smoking not only effects the person who is inhaling, but everybody around them. Aside from turning the pink flourishing lungs of a smoker dismal black, the second hand smoke scars the lungs of innocent bystanders.
Second hand smoke is extremely harmful to both adults and children. Each year over 3000 people die due to the toxic second hand smoke. Children are probably most effected by the exhaled soot. There are over 4000 different chemicals that are pushed into the atmosphere for every puff taken. These deadly chemicals can be inhaled by helpless kids going about their childhood.
That is why each year 225,000 infants and small children go to the hospital with respiratory tract infections due to second hand smoke. We shouldn’t put up with smokers who pollute children’s clean air. Americans have always made excuses for smokers, saying they’re hooked and deserve special rights. Nonsmokers should speak out against smokers that hurt our country. Everybody has the right to breath clean, fresh air, without running the risk of hurting themselves.
The putrid gas omitted by cigarette smoke doesn’t only hinder the smokers health, but everybody’s health. Society must convince smokers that it’s not worth the risk. Smoking isn’t worth dying for.
