Should Cigarette Smoking Be Banned - Essay Example

Provide statistics on smoking worldwide: “worldwide, about 1.35 billion people smoke. The world population statistic in 2009 stood at 6.8 billion meaning almost 20% of the world’s population smokes” (Quit Smoking Hub, 2010)Provide smoking statistics in the US from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2011):“ An estimated 46 million people, or 20.

6% of all adults (aged 18 years and older), in the United States smoke cigarettes.1 Cigarette smoking is more common among men (23.5%) than women (17.9%)  Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States,2 accounting for approximately 443,000 deaths or 1 of every 5 deaths, in the United States each year” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2011, pars. 1 & 2)Health EffectsCigarette smoking leads to cancer, heart disease, and respiratory diseases (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2011): Compared with nonsmokers, smoking is estimated to increase the risk of—coronary heart disease by 2 to 4 times stroke by 2 to 4 times developing lung cancer by 23 times, women developing lung cancer by 13 times, and dying from chronic obstructive lung diseases (such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema) by 12 to 13 times.

Smoking Causes Death“ The adverse health effects from cigarette smoking account for an estimated 443,000 deaths, or nearly one of every five deaths, each year in the United States.  More deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combined. Smoking causes an estimated 90% of all lung cancer deaths in men and 80% of all lung cancer deaths in women.

 An estimated 90% of all deaths from chronic obstructive lung disease are caused by smoking” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2011). Control ProgramsNational Tobacco Control Program envisions enhancing public awareness and assisting in controlling smoking to minimize health hazards and potential deaths (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2010)Family Smoking Prevention and Control Act which stipulates “the FDA regulation of tobacco products immediately removes most federal pre-emption constraints on the ability of states and communities to restrict the time, manner, and place of tobacco advertising and promotions” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2010)Recommendation and ConclusionEmphasize the need to ban cigarette smoking to avoid health hazards and potential deaths.

Recommend ways individuals could assist and support identified programs highlighting the benefits of not smoking in overall well-being.