Social Issue: Smoking
Can
you imagine everyone in the world smoking? Sounds impossible right? Well about 50 years ago, it seemed like
everyone smoked: adults, teens, even cartoon characters would fall into the
smoking category. Robert K. Elder, the author of: Kicking the Habit
states that America began to change their attitude towards smoking in 1964. A
surgeon states that smoking is one of the main causes of lung cancer. The
author wants to tell his readers that smoking is bad for health and that people
should stop because of the great risk.
Have
you seen advertisements for cigarettes or to stop the smoking of cigarettes?
Well back then, advertising took a big role in the selling of cigs. People
became brainwashed thinking smoking wasn’t all that bad and it was cool. Actors
dressed up as doctors smoked in commercials to fool people that even doctors
smoke and nothing bad will happen. “Magazine ads, featuring beautiful men and
women lighting up, to help make smoking seem glamorous” says Robert, “Even the
White House provided good PR.” Doctors reported that: it was too damned to be
shrugged off.” In 1964, a headline in New York Herald Tribune read: It’s
Official-Cigarette Smoking Can Kill You!”
The notice changed the attitude of America. Congress and
the FDA began putting labels on cigarette packs which started out as just:
“Caution: Cigarette Smoking Can Be Hazardous to your health.” No one paid any
attention to that, so the FDA made them became more direct. They added labels
of symptoms such as lung cancer, heart disease and that cigs may complicate in pregnancy.
This made a bigger effect than the first one, but still did not change the
minds of most smokers. That’s when they became more graphic. Labels held
pictures of the aftermath of smoking and it also had a warning label. People
started to argue that it went against the first amendment which was about free
speech, because the packets of cigs looked like a mini billboard for the anti
smoking campaign. The FDA said they would add new labels on packets so people
would still get the message.
The electronic
cigarette is here. These battery powered devices worry
health experts and doctors over America. Electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes
vaporize liquid nicotine and are added with flavors from banana cream pie to cotton
candy. There are more than 7000 flavors and critics say these flavor are too appealing
to kids. But the main reason is for normal day smokers to quit and use this
product instead. “It is said to be less harmful” says Robert K. Elder, “But
public health officials are still concerned.” A doctor states that the
emergence of e-cigs is a déjà vu all
over again. He also adds that nicotine is what gets you addicted, and that
e-cigs are simply getting America to be nicotine addicts.
I remember when I was 2 years old; a cigarette fell and
burned my leg. I also remember when I was 6, a person was smoking in front of
us and I was coughing a lot from the lack of air. Since then I have never imagined
myself smoking. This article told me more about it and why it is bad for you. It
also made me think, how the world look like if no one held or smoked a
cigarette. And I hope the government would do something to stop the usage of these
harmful products.
