Category: Smoking

Introduction

The period of adolescence is exciting yet evolutionary part of every individual’s life. Young people experience enormous progress in development of unique identity and stages of maturation. The process is influenced by exploring in new decisions and behaviors to discover one’s character. Therefore, teenage hood is a vulnerable duration due to exposure of peer pressure, cognitive critical thinking and the nature of committing irresponsible decisions. This report identifies the smoking effects on adolescences health and early consequences. The findings are focused on development alterations of the brain due to nicotine exposure, the impairment to function of respiratory system and lung growth, the damage of smoking to muscles and bones performance.

The increasing severity of the diseases and smoking related illnesses are discovered and analyzed in adults with long term smoking history. This report will discuss effects of short-term smoking duration and identify the health alteration of adolescence and how does smoking weakens the physiological development and what does it mean for body’s future performance in adulthood.

Adolescent brain maturation regarding nicotine consumption

The human brain does not complete its full maturation until the age of 25, therefore complex development of the brain occurs during adolescence.

The adolescent brain is exposed to heightened biological sensitivity at this phase, furthermore, engaging in smoking consequences the brain’s development and increases the chances of psychiatric disorders and a lack of maturation of the prefrontal cortex. It is responsible for significant functions of behavior, personality, critical thinking and decision making(coldspringharbperspectmed,2012)

Nicotine is associated as a dangerous and highly addictive stimulant. It is consumed by inhaling enlightened cigarette and enters the blood steam where it targets the brain within 10-20 seconds. (coldspringharbperspectmed,2012) Once nicotine reaches the brain it binds to neuron’s nicotinic acetylcholine receptors that promote the release of dopamine, a hormone which is responsible for pleasure response. Since the rewarding function is matured before the prefrontal cortex in the brain, adolescences are exposed to smoking addiction at low levels of cigarette consumption. It causes the risk of nicotine dependence in early stages, progressing the chances of transitioning into smoking practices in adulthood. (Anon,2019)

Studies have proven that adolescent smokers are exposed to reduction of neuronal activity, which is a repetitive, rhythmic electrical message transition between neurons. Neural development is an important factor during maturation phase as it forms synaptic strength and connectivity. Nicotine alters the communication between brain regions by inducing the axon damage, causing an impaired synapse transmission. Synapse is a transition of an electrical message into a chemical between the gap of the delivering and beginning of a receiving neuron.

According to research conducted by Dr Chaarani smoking in adolescence greatly impacts to decreasing of the grey matter volume and neuronal connectivity. The process undertook 2 types of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of each adolescent participant’s brain. The results were analyzed based on the individual’s smoking engagement and their measure of grey matter volume. The grey matter is a tissue surface of the brain which consists of neural cell bodies and synaptic connections. It is contained in the regions of the brain responsible for memory, speech, hearing, emotions, decision making and self-control. The outcome of the research concluded the more adolescence engage in smoking the more grey matter decreases in at the prefrontal cortex and communication in corpus collosum (a part of the brain which connects right and left hemisphere) losing the ability to function and experience problems in learning and focusing. (Anon,2019)

Impairment of respiratory system and its functions

Respiratory system performs significant function in supplying the body oxygen from the air in order to produce energy and has a vital role of filtering the impurities that enter the body via mouth and nose. (Kidshealth.org.2019) Smoking has a direct impact on adolescent respiratory system as the intensity and smoking duration is more powerful on lung function due to its growth stage. Respiratory system is most highly exposed organ to concentration of the toxins from cigarette smoking. To avoid the infections and illness, the respiratory system performs a protective process called mucociliary system for clearance of the impurities from delicate tissue in the lungs. The particles become caught in the mucus layer on the surface of the airways lining. They are swept out of the lungs by a cilia movement which are micro hair a like follicles on the surface of airways. (Tobaccoinaustralia.org.au, 2019) Cigarette smoking impairs the defensive functions which trigger the chronic diseases. Around 60% of pollutants from cigarette are trapped in lungs. Smoking results cilia motion to slow down, causing to maintain the impurities in lungs, however respiratory system attempts to recover, forcing the pollutants and mucus to exit the lungs and expelling the substance by coughing, this is known as ‘smokers cough’. (Nuecleausmedicalmedia,2019)

Underneath cilia the epithelium cell lining is located which is a thin protective layer of tissue in the airways. Exposure to smoke damages the protective layer which leads to inflammation. Long period of smoking causes loss of cilia movement and thickness of mucus, progresses bronchitis, which is a blockage of airways, triggering breathing difficulties. (Nuecleausmedicalmedia,2019)

A set of lungs consist of 480 million alveoli which is a tiny air sac which allows the gases to exchange rapidly and are held by branching bronchi. Alveoli are contained within capillaries and both share membrane that allows inhaled oxygen to enter through alveoli and reach the blood stream through capillaries blood vessels. Simultaneously the carbon dioxide exits the alveoli in the same pathway while exhaling. (Verywell Mind, 2019)

As a result of smoking, the inhaled toxins from cigarette damage the bronchioles causing them to narrow and produce mucus. The membrane barrier of alveoli breaks, losing the air sac function and ability to absorb oxygen to nutrient blood and expel carbon dioxide. A breakage in the sac cannot be recovered, however quitting smoking in early stage will prevent the damage of alveoli and chronic lung diseases. (Verywell Mind, 2019)

Adolescence who engage in cigarette smoking actively, reduce healthy lung function and impair its growth process which prevents respiratory system from maturing into efficiently function set of lungs. The lung’s immune systems gradually damages, losing its ability to remove viruses and bacteria, also causing inflammation as a reaction response and progressing exposure for infections. (Nuecleausmedicalmedia,2019)

Common respiratory system symptoms of beginning of smoking illnesses are coughing, wheezing, coughing up phlegm from inflammation, chest pain and dyspnea (shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing). Those signs are associated with cigarette smoking related illnesses which lead to exposure of chronic diseases development and lung injury.

Rapid effect on cardiovascular system

Cardiovascular system is defined into heart and the blood vessels that transmit blood to organs. The blood vessels contain of arteries, veins and capillaries that are bind to alveoli, they unit a cardiovascular system along with lungs to supply oxygen to vital organs such as the brain.

Cigarette smoking during adolescence provokes the damaging process of cardiovascular system which leads to early sings of diseases. Nicotine in cigarette smoke increases blood pressure and tention on the arteries walls. It impairs the function of systolic and diastolic pressure; systolic blood pressure is the highest pressure in arteries during the contraction of the heart muscle. Diastolic pressure is the minimum arterial pressure that occurs during relaxation of the heart. A higher blood pressure demands the heart to pump blood harder and faster to come into a rhythm with the opposite arterial pressure. Therefore, it raises heart rate and stress on the organ making it wear out quicker. It also increases possible damage to organs such as kidneys which function to filter the blood. (Tobaccofreekids.org, 2019)

Heart rate is the speed of heart pumping the blood around the body which is measured by the amount of contractions per minute. (MacGill and Carissa Stephens, 2019) It is proven that nicotine increases the resting heart rate of youth smoker by 2-3 beats per minute than a non-smoker. Nicotine consumption by cigarette smoking increases heart rate 30 minutes to a higher pace, specially by the number of cigarettes smoked. A smoker’s heart is required to work harder which progress the chances of heart attack or stroke in early adulthood. (Tobaccofreekids.org, 2019)

It is proven that smoking and even light, occasional smoking results in blood vessels to narrow. It occurs from smoke reducing nitric oxide (NO2), that causes blood vessels to expand and maintain open, and increase endothelin (ET-1), which constricts blood vessels. This effect begins rapidly in vessels after smoking, temporarily reducing blood supply and restriction in blood flow. (Tobaccofreekids.org, 2019)

Cigarette smoking during adolescence and early adulthood is causes the development of atherosclerosis which is a main cause of coronary heart disease. (Tobaccoinaustralia.org.au, 2019) Atherosclerosis occurs by fat and cholesterol forming plaques which bind to the artery walls and cause reduction of blood flow. Nicotine and other harmful substances in tobacco smoke are absorbed by lungs and are distributed around the body through blood stream. The toxins damage the vessel walls, allowing the plaques to develop faster. (Tobaccofreekids.org, 2019) This reduces blood supply to organs and decreases the amount of oxygen delivered to organs. Smokers are exposed to rapid progression of atherosclerosis, leading to a higher chance of stroke and coronary heart disease. (Australian Government Department of Health, 2019)

Thrombosis caused by cigarette smoking is a major factor of severe cardiovascular diseases. An MI of younger smokers are presented with fewer cardiac disease risks and less acute coronary events than non-smokers however, even occasional smoking contributes to exposure of coronary thrombosis into adulthood regarding smoking duration in adolescence. (Metz and Waters 2003)

Thrombosis is developed in smokers as a result of clots in a blood vessel. Clots are originally produced inside blood vessels to prevent bleeding, when a vessel received damage. The substances in tobacco smoke progresses a dangerously large quantity of clot formation. (US,2019) Smokers develop increased level of thrombin, especially after smoking. Thrombin is an enzyme that converts into fibrin clots. Fibrin is a protein which strengthens the clot by forming a mesh that tightens the object that obstructs the flow of blood in circulatory system. This progresses the blockage in vessels delivering the flow of blood to vital organs. (Khan Academy, 2019) Thrombosis development provokes the presence of plaque (atherosclerosis), this combination spikes the risk of heart attacks then in non-smokers by 4 times furthermore, young male smokers are more likely to have sudden death than female smokers.

Conclusion

Tobacco is illegal to consume below the age of 18 in Australia, however many underage adolescences commit to smoking, therefore education in school and social media publicity can reduce smoking rate and set a healthier choice environment by informing the harmful side effect it progresses. Both male and female smokers receive relatively equal damage from smoking to their organisms. Nicotine in cigarette is a harmful chemical that spikes addiction through the pleasure response in the brain and impairs the maturation of frontal cortex that controls critical thinking, judgment, memory and behavior. Cigarette smoking in adolescences reduces and impairs lung function and its growth, additionally developing early symptoms of coughing, phlegm and shortness of breath which leads exposure to diseases. Smoking damages cardiovascular system due to tobacco substances intoxicating blood vessels which increases the risk for coronary heart diseases. Overall cigarette smoking during adolescence reduces proper body maturation and its functions into adulthood and sets up vulnerability for variety of diseases and irreversible illnesses, based on smoking duration.

What is tobacco?

Tobacco is a plant native to the Americas which is grown all over the world. Its leaves contain high levels nicotine and many cancer-causing chemicals. Tobacco leaves can be smoked as cigarettes, cigars, and hookahs; applied to the gums as dipping and chewing; or inhaled. Tobacco use and secondhand tobacco smoke causes many types of cancer, as well as heart, respiratory, and other diseases.

Consumers

About 5.7 trillion (5,700,000,000,000) cigarettes were smoked worldwide in 2016. Although overall consumption has declined slightly over the past few years, the future path of global tobacco control is still uncertain. Despite the rhetorical commitment of some in the tobacco industry toward a smoke-free world, all major tobacco companies continue to aggressively advertise cigarettes and vigorously fight tobacco control efforts around the world. The significant reductions in smoking rates in the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, and other countries that have implemented the most advanced tobacco control laws globally are almost entirely offset by the increasing consumption in many countries with weaker tobacco control regulations.

Cigarette consumption is predicted to increase in many low- and medium-HDI countries due to dynamic economic development and continued population growth. For example, the number of tobacco smokers is set to increase by 24 million in Indonesia and by 7 million in Nigeria from 2015 to 2025. China, whose people smoke more than 40% of all cigarettes globally, remains a challenge. Although cigarette use in China has begun to decline, half of Chinese adult males continue to smoke cigarettes. Without appropriate prevention policies, the world will lose a billion lives this century due to tobacco smoking.1

Largest markets worldwide

The five largest cigarette consuming nations ― China, Indonesia, Russia, U.S. and Japan ― account for 61.7% of the volume of all cigarettes sold in 2017. China is the largest cigarette market in the world. The retail value of China’s cigarette market in 2017 was US$212.3 billion. High tar cigarettes dominate the market. However, their sales are decreasing while sales of lower tar cigarettes are increasing. In 2017, the volume sales of cigarettes increased by 0.8% compared to 2016, marking the first increase in volume sales since 2013-2014.3 Real retail value increased by 3.0%. Since the peak of global cigarette volume sales in 2012, the global cigarette market volume has decreased by 9.2%, but it declined by more (13.0%) when excluding China’s retail volume. In Russia, cigarette sales by volume has declined by 25.2%between 2013 and 2017.3 Over the same time period, real retail values increased by 31.3% to US$26.9 billion. Between 2016 and 2017 alone, retail volume fell by 7.2%, while real value of sales grew by 3.6%.3 With a 33.6% market share, J T is the market leader in Russia, but P M I, B AT and Imperial also have a presence. The Indonesia cigarette market is unique because sales are dominated by kreteks (cigarettes made with a blend of tobacco and cloves). Between 2016 and 2017, the Indonesian cigarette market declined by 2.5%, marking the second consecutive year of decline in sales volume.3 One of the two leading tobacco companies, Sampoerna, was acquired by P M I in 2005 and outperforms all domestically-owned companies and all other T T Cs trying to make a profit in Indonesia. In India, smokeless tobacco and bidis (small, hand-rolled smoked products) are much more popular than cigarettes: About 75% of all tobacco users use smokeless tobacco, 27% smoke bidis, and only 14% of all tobacco users smoke cigarettes. While cigarettes are not the most popular tobacco product in India, approximately 81.3 billion cigarettes were sold in 2017, making the country an important target for international tobacco companies.2

Tobacco companies

While cigarette sales are expanding to new markets, industry market shares are consolidating, and the market is increasingly controlled by a few international companies. In 2001, a little more than 43% of global market sales were controlled by the five leading transnational tobacco companies (T T C). By 2017, 80.6% of the market was controlled by T T Cs. Over the last decade, the international cigarette market has been dominated by five companies: China National Tobacco Corporation, Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco Inc. and Imperial Tobacco.

China National Tobacco Corporation (C N T C) is owned and operated by the Chinese government and is the world’s single largest producer of cigarettes with 42.6% of the global market. C N T C sells the majority of its product in China; just over 1% of cigarettes produced are exported to other countries. C N T C is increasing efforts to sell heritage brands such as R D G, Dubliss and Harmony internationally. Philip Morris International (P M I) is a publicly traded American company with headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. P M I controls an estimated 14.1% of the international cigarette market. Since separating from its parent company, Altria, in 2008, P M I only sells its tobacco products outside of the United States. The company operates in more than 180 markets and sells 6 of the top 15 brands, including Marlboro, the world’s top selling brand. P M I experienced declining cigarette volume sales in all regions between 2016–2017, as the company focused on expanding sale of its heated tobacco product, I Q O S. I Q O S has done particularly well in Japan and South Korea. British American Tobacco (B AT) is a publicly traded company based in London. B AT operates in over 200 markets, is the third largest company in the global tobacco market, and controls 11.8%of the international cigarette market. Top selling brands include Pall Mall, Rothmans, Kent, Dunhill, and Lucky Strike, and these five brands account for half of all BAT cigarette sales. Acquisition of Reynolds American, Bulgartabac, and other tobacco companies contributed to overall growth in volume and value of the company in 2017. BAT cigarette sales volumes grew strongly in Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Nigeria, and Gulf Cooperation Council countries, but declined in many other key markets. Japan Tobacco, Inc. (J T) is headquartered in Tokyo and the parent company to Japan Tobacco International (J T I), which is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. International tobacco sales account for more than 60% of J T’s operating profit. With products available in 130 countries, J T is the fourth largest tobacco company in the world, and controls 8.4% of the global cigarette market. The Japanese government holds 33.3% of J T’s issued shares. Top brands include Winston, Camel, Liggett Ducat, and Mevius (formerly Mild Seven). J T I continues to expand its presence in emerging markets, with the largest volume growth in Brazil, Egypt, Iran, the Philippines, and Tunisia, and company acquisitions in Indonesia and the Philippines in 2017. Imperial Tobacco Group is a British company. It is the fifth largest company participating in the global tobacco market and controls 3.7%of the international cigarette market. Imperial operates in more than 160 markets, and key growth markets are in Italy, Russia, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. Top brands include West, Davidoff, John Player Special, and Gauloises.

Who produces tobacco in Bangladesh?

British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) is the number one tobacco company in tobacco industry of Bangladesh, which was incorporated in 1972. The cigarette market in Bangladesh, as in much of the world, is highly concentrated. The premium segment of the market in Bangladesh is dominated by British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB), a subsidiary of multinational tobacco company British American Tobacco. British American Tobacco holds 62% of the cigarette market by volume and Dhaka Tobacco Industries (under Akij Group) used to hold 21.3% of the cigarette market before the acquisition of the company by Japan Tobacco International (JTI) in 2018.

Philip Morris International distributed its products in Bangladesh through Dhaka Tobacco Industries (DTI). In 2007, DTI entered into an agreement with Philip Morris international to market Marlboro cigarettes in Bangladesh.

The largest local tobacco company was Dhaka Tobacco Industries (DTI), it was a part of the Akij Group and now a part of Japan Tobacco International (JTI). DTI dominated the market for lower-priced cigarettes. Smaller domestic companies include Abul Khair Tobacco and Nasir Tobacco. In 2017, 88.9 billion cigarettes were sold in Bangladesh.2

By contrast, bidi manufacture in Bangladesh is more fragmented, with AkijBidi Factory, Ltd. (another part of the Akij Group) the largest firm, accounting for over one-quarter of the market, and the top 4 firms accounting for less than 50% of the market.

The cigarette industry is growing at a rate of 3.4%. The Biri market which was 70.3% of the total market is declining, now it is 69%. The smokers are upgrading from biri to low segment of cigarettes. Besides these, some other companies are: AlphaTobacco Company, Sonali Tobacco, AbulKhair Group, Nasir Gold Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco etc.

Effects of Tobacco

The effects of any drug (including tobacco) vary from person to person. How tobacco affects a person depends on many things including their size, weight and health, also whether the person is used to taking it. The effects of tobacco, as with any drug, also depend on the amount taken.

Some of the effects that are likely to experience through smoking:

• initial stimulation, then reduction in activity of brain and nervous system
• increased alertness and concentration
• feelings of mild euphoria
• feelings of relaxation
• increased blood pressure and heart rate
• decreased blood flow to fingers and toes
• decreased skin temperature
• bad breath
• decreased appetite
• dizziness
• nausea, abdominal cramps and vomiting
• headache
• Coughing due to smoke irritation.

Higher doses:

A high dose of nicotine can cause a person to overdose. This means that a person has taken more nicotine than their body can cope with. The effects of very large doses can include:

• an increase in the unpleasant effects
• feeling faint
• confusion
• rapid decrease in blood pressure and breathing rate
• seizures
• respiratory arrest (stopping breathing) and death

Long-term effects

Tar in cigarettes coats the lungs and can cause lung and throat cancer in smokers. It is also responsible for the yellow–brown staining on smokers’ fingers and teeth.

Some of the long-term effects of smoking (Quit Victoria, 2010) that may be experienced include:

• increased risk of stroke and brain damage
• eye cataracts, macular degeneration, yellowing of whites of eyes
• loss of sense of smell and taste
• yellow teeth, tooth decay and bad breath
• cancer of the nose, lip, tongue and mouth
• possible hearing loss
• laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers
• contributes to osteoporosis
• shortness of breath
• coughing
• chronic bronchitis
• cancer
• triggering asthma
• emphysema
• heart disease
• blockages in blood supply that can lead to a heart attack
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• myeloid leukemia, a cancer that affects bone marrow and organs that make blood
• stomach and bladder cancers
• stomach ulcers
• decreased appetite
• grey appearance
• early wrinkles
• slower healing wounds
• damage to blood vessel walls
• increased likelihood of back pain
• increased susceptibility to infection
• lower fertility and increased risk of miscarriage
• irregular periods
• early menopause
• damaged sperm and reduced sperm
• impotence

CSR of Phillip Morris International (PMI)

To increase goodwill among policy makers and the public and to counter tobacco control efforts, PMI participates in a wide range of “community investment” initiatives across the globe. PMI engages in so-called socially responsible activities while simultaneously manufacturing a product that is responsible for disease, disability and ultimately death of its customers. In 2009, PMI reported engaging in 392 “corporate social responsibility” efforts in about 46 countries, ranging from contributions for education and disaster relief efforts to funding medical services for tobacco farmers.

• In 2009, PMI donated over $5 million USD to the Putera Sampoerna Foundation in Indonesia for education projects.
• $2.7 million USD was given to Washington State University for a project to enhance rural livelihoods in Malawi.
• The total amount of 2009 corporate contributions disclosed on PMI’s website was $22.7 million USD (a mere fraction of PMI’s 2009 net revenues of $25 billion USD.)

PMI’s “community investments” to selected countries in 2009, Indonesia $6,764,673, Russia $2,125,179, Philippines $1,199,740, Mexico $502,188, Pakistan $381,510, Brazil $370,492, China $246,798, Poland $196,244, Thailand $183,919, Ukraine $126,253, Vietnam $98,275.4

CSR of British American Tobacco

To improve its image and weaken tobacco control efforts, BAT engages in “community investment” initiatives, while simultaneously causing the disease, disability and ultimately death of its customers. In 2009, BAT reported £14 million ($22.7 million USD) in so-called corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditures toward charitable projects such as youth smoking prevention, sustainability, preserving biodiversity, disaster relief, and the elimination of child labor in tobacco farming. These efforts do little to address the root causes of social problems and often result in the exploitation of the communities involved.

• BAT claimed to tackle underage smoking in Russia through youth smoking prevention (YSP) programs. However, studies show that tobacco company-sponsored YSP programs do not reduce smoking, but instead encourage youth smoking.
• BAT sponsors Jua Kali, the annual East African exhibition for local craftspeople, in order to gain publicity, advertise its products, and meet local politicians.
• BAT co-founded the Eliminating Child Labor in Tobacco Growing Foundation (ECLT) in 2000 as a CSR effort rather than taking meaningful action to eradicate child labor. BAT contributed $2.3 million over four years to fund ECLT development projects that were generally unrelated to child labor while earning $40 million USD from unpaid child labor in Malawi within the same time period.
• In Kenya, BAT claims to support local farmers and their families by providing loans for seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers. However, many of these farmers suffer from the health hazards of tobacco growing and often end up in debt to BAT.
• BAT’s Indonesian subsidiary, Bentoel, donated 115,000 food packages to 86 foundations and orphanages in Malang in 2009. Bentoel’s main factory located in Malang produces many of its deadly brands.
• BAT awarded the Albino Souza Cruz state primary school with a $100,000 rolling grant to improve school facilities. The school is named after the founder of Souza Cruz, BAT’s subsidiary in Brazil.
• In 2007, Souza Cruz contributed $14.9 million Reals ($8.4 million USD) to CSR activities supporting educational programs, youth engagement, and the environment while subsequently contributing to the 200,000 annual deaths due to smoking in Brazil.5

CSR activities of BAT in Bangladesh

Afforestation: BAT Bangladesh’s flagship CSR program

British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BAT Bangladesh) initiated its afforestation program in 1980 when the forest department called on the private sector to support its endeavor to conserve the forests. So far, BAT Bangladesh has contributed around 79.5 million saplings to the country’s afforestation initiative in the last 34 years. It is presumably the largest private sector driven afforestation effort in Bangladesh.

The Project has also won international recognition for the company recently when BAT Bangladesh was awarded Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Award in 2014 under Green Leadership by Enterprise Asia, a non-governmental organization striving for the pursuit of entrepreneurship development in Asia Region. As a national recognition for special contribution in tree plantation, BAT Bangladesh has received National Award for five times in the year 1992, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2007. The program is designed to focus on the socio-economic needs of the human society as well as overall environmental perspectives.

Having recognized the gravity of water and sanitation and in the context of the Millennium Development Goals, BAT Bangladesh has stepped forward with a safe drinking water project. As a part of the safe drinking water initiative, BAT Bangladesh has already installed 53 filtration plants to make water free from arsenic and other harmful contents in arsenic prone areas in the country. All the 53 plants now purify 270,000 liters of drinking water, meeting the need of 135,000 people every day. The plants are maintained by local committees consisting of members from local communities. More than hundred communities in rural areas with the safe drinking water plants are now living a better life than before as safe drinking water is enriching their livelihood.

BAT Bangladesh is providing Solar Home Systems free of cost to rural communities of the country which are currently out of electricity. So far, the Company has installed 1,366 units of solar home systems in 15 villages of Bandarban and Khagrachari districts, illuminating the community and its people in the off-grid areas of the country. Now, more than 8000 rural people are connected with electricity for the first time. This initiative will continue its journey to kindle hope in remote rural communities by bringing in a completely new dimension in the lives of people and progressing it with the power of energy.6

CSR of Japan Tobacco International

To increase goodwill among policymakers and the public and to counter tobacco control efforts, JT and JTI participate in a wide range of “community investment” initiatives across the globe. The tobacco company engages in so-called socially responsible activities while simultaneously manufacturing a product that is responsible for disease, disability and ultimately death of its customers. This is a tactic to increase positive public opinion by distracting the consumer from the negativity that is caused by its products. One way that JT engages in corporate social responsibility (CSR) is by promoting ineffective youth prevention campaigns. In Japan the company created the Youth Smoking Prevention Council and rolled out an educational campaign using newspaper advertisements to target to youth specifically. However, industry-sponsored youth prevention programs have been proven to be ineffective at reducing youth tobacco use, and they may even encourage youth to smoke. When compared with public health programs, industry-sponsored prevention programs are less appealing and less convincing to youth. Internationally, JTI attempts to influence policy makers and public perception by promoting different CSR activities to counteract its bad reputation. For example, in Africa, JTI focuses on reforestation in Malawi and Tanzania- two of the leading tobacco leaf producing countries where tobacco leaf production is responsible for a large portion of deforestation. JTI also supports the Eliminating of Child Labor in Tobacco-growing (ECLT) Foundation in Africa, an organization founded by BAT as a CSR program in 2000. According to a 2006 study, the ECLTs has not been effective in dealing with the issue of child labor on tobacco farms in Africa. Additionally, in 2001, JTI found the JTI Foundation based in Switzerland. The main function of the foundation is to provide disaster relief around the world by partnering with local organizations in the affected region. While the JTI Foundation’s website and branding is not similar to either JTI or JT, the company still benefits greatly from name recognition. The JTI Foundation and other CSR activities are tactics used by JT/JTI to present itself to policymakers as a responsible company and not just one associated with the sale of deadly products for profit.7

Evaluation of CSR Activities

Purpose – Given the well-documented outcomes of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, tobacco companies that exhibit CSR may be trusted and consumers may hold positive attitudes towards tobacco companies further contributing to and reinforcing smoking behaviors, which is a highly undesired and addictive behavior. CSR activities are able to cultivate favorable images of the tobacco companies especially for those who are currently smoking. Moreover, findings show that consumer-company identification does not affect company evaluation (CE) and consumer sensitivity towards corporate social performance becomes a motivator which positively affects CE among smokers.

In spite of all the CSR activities done by tobacco companies, it is never effective towards the side effects it causes. In their CSR activities there’s nothing curing or reducing the harm that it does to human body. Tobacco companies doing CSR activities just as a brain wash towards their consumers. Government is considering their CSR activities sufficient. Thus, tobacco is an ultimate cause of total malfunction in human life. No matter what tobacco companies are doing, those are not enough as it does nothing for the harm tobacco does.

References

1. Consumption, 2019. Retrieved from https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/consumption/
2. THE GLOBAL CIGARETTE INDUSTRY. Retrieved from https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/global/pdfs/en/Global_Cigarette_Industry_pdf.pdf
3. The Toll of Tobacco in Bangladesh, 2019. Retrieved from https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/problem/toll-global/asia/bangladesh
4. Phillip Morris International (PMI). Retrieved from https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/global/pdfs/en/IW_facts_company_pmi_profile_july2010.pdf
5. British American Tobacco (BAT). Retrieved from https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/global/pdfs/en/IW_facts_company_bat_profile_aug2010.pdf
6. Our corporate social responsibility. Retrieved from http://www.batbangladesh.com/group/sites/BAT_9T5FQ2.nsf/vwPagesWebLive/DO9T5K52
7. Japan Tobacco Inc and Japan Tobacco International. Retrieved from https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/global/pdfs/en/Japan_Profile.pdf

Tobacco originated in the North and South American continents and became known by Europeans in the 15th and 16th century. Before that however, Native Americans used tobacco in religious and medicinal practices. The native crop later became a fashionable drug for colonists in America. The severe consequences of tobacco were unfortunately not uncovered until much later. Today even, 34.2 million adults in the U.S. smoke cigarretes and more than 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease.

One way that tobacco is so dangerous is that it can cause lung cancer due to carcinogens in the smoke. When one inhales these dangerous substances the cells located in lung tissue will immediately be damaged. At first your body will repair itself but if you keep smoking the cells will begin to act abnormally and cannot be automtically repaired. Eventually the damage causes cancer develop. This will most definitely put you at risk and lower your lifespan. It is also very dangerous to people who have asthma. It can cuase an asthma attack or make an attack worse.

Beau Brebner, p2 Tobacco also includes nicotine. Nicotine is extremely addictive. So addictive as a matter of fact, that it is considered to be on par with heroin and cocaine. If that’s still not enough, nicotine can cause many cardiovascular problems such as an increase in blood pressure and a higher risk of heart attack. Nicotine also affects your hormones which are key to wellness and growth especially during the teenage years.

Tobacco is not the only thing that has nicotine however. It is found in vapes, juuls, or juul pods. These are commonly used by teenagers, which is inconvinent because a person’s body is most affected during their teenage years. In fact their was 16.2 million vapes sold in the year of 2017. That was over a 600% increase from 2016 when 2.2 million vapes where sold.

Overall, tobacco can cause lung cancer and other lung diseases, worsen and cause asthma attacks, and contains nicototine. This especially affects teenagers who have their whole life ahead of them. Smoking is very dangerous, serves no purpose, and only causes harm.

Bibliography

1. https://web.stanford.edu › class › trade_environment › health › htobacco https://academic.udayton.edu › health › syllabi › tobacco › history
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org › lung-cancer › symptoms-causes › syc-20374620
3. https: //www.hear t.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking-tobacco/how-smoking- and-nicotine-damage-your-body
4. www.opensecrets.org › news › issues › e-cigarettes
5. https://www.cdc.gov › tobacco › data_statistics › fact_sheets › adult_data

If there was a way you could prevent some illness, diseases and even death, wouldn’t you do it? Smoke is a proven killer, whether inhaled directly or second hand, and attempts should be made to reduce it in public places. Many would argue limiting places in which people can smoke is a violation of their rights to enjoy a legal habit. Arguing for the non-smokers, why should those who choose not to smoke have to inhale the secondhand toxins of those putting it into our environment? Where should the line be drawn between overall health and habit?

Even if you don’t smoke, breathing in someone else’s smoke can be deadly. Secondhand smoke causes about 3,000 deaths from lung cancer and tens of thousands of deaths from heart disease to nonsmoking adults in the United States each year. Secondhand smoke is a huge problem in America today. Tobacco smoke has more than 4,000 chemical compounds. At least 250 of those compounds are known to cause disease. More often than not, exposure to secondhand smoke can raise the chance that others will get lung cancer, other types of cancer, emphysema, and heart problems by 30 percent.

One of the biggest problems is smoking on a college campus. Central Connecticut State University, (CCSU) has a smoking policy that directly states, “In keeping with the University’s goal to provide a safe and healthy work environment, and in conformance with Connecticut General Statute 31-40q(d), smoking is prohibited everywhere on the campus–other than in five designated areas.” These spots around school include the football parking lot, and 4 smoking shelters that are never far away. Even though CCSU has provided these sectioned off areas, students do not follow the rule stating to stay in those sections while smoking. Every day walking outside students are seen smoking everywhere- walking to class, outside dining halls and dorms, in the parking garage, etc. As surveyed by the CDC, eight in 10 college students (83 percent) say it’s important that inside and around their living quarters are smoke and vape-free. There are places on this campus specially made for the use of smoking, so it baffles me that some smokers have such little respect for the people around them as to force non-smokers to breathe that air.

To solve this problem on campus there are various steps that need to be taken. Some variables include posting more, “NO SMOKING” signs, creating more smoking shelters, and perhaps the most important, enforcing the no smoking rule. These students know they aren’t supposed to smoke just anywhere. Yet because no one says anything to them about it, they continue to do so. If this campus started to enforce this rule and discipline the students breaking it students will be more motivated to smoke in designated spots rather than anywhere. By enforcing consequences this campus could be a clean, respectful environment.

Areas that have banned smoking have seen improvements in public health. The bans have had no negative economic side effects at all, and are in fact beneficial to the economy, because reducing smoking lowers health care costs. I personally don’t see how banning it in certain places would be a bad thing. Yet some readers may challenge my view by insisting that putting a ban on smoking in public places removes freedom of choice. Although not all smokers think alike, some would probably dispute my claim and argue that it would be denying smokers the freedom to choose a place where they can enjoy a legal habit.

Though it is understandable where they are coming from, in what world is it okay to cause disease and illness to innocent civilians walking past you on the street? If a legal aged citizen would like to choose to smoke in their home or on their property that would be fine. Save habits for home and not for public places.

I am researching this topic because half of my family smokes and half doesn’t or has quit. It is a huge topic of discussion at all family events. My aunt is a huge smoker and as a result her daughter has asthma. Smoking and secondhand smoke has affected my family so greatly so this is a topic I am quite passionate about. I believe this topic is so important to today’s society because according to the CDC, “Secondhand smoke causes more than 7,300 lung cancer deaths among U.S. nonsmokers each year. Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke are inhaling many of the same cancer-causing substances and poisons as smokers. Even brief secondhand smoke exposure can damage cells in ways that set the cancer process in motion.” These facts send chills down my spine. If we can prevent this just by moving our habits elsewhere, why wouldn’t we? Smoking has been proven to have many health risks associated with it, not only for the smoker but for those around. Smoking in a person’s home or personal vehicle is one thing, but smoking in public locations including college campuses, bus stops, outside restaurants puts other people’s healths at risk.

The smoking policy in Connecticut roughly states: CT General Statute Sec. 19a-342 protects citizens from the health risk associated with secondhand smoke. The Act prohibits smoking in workplaces with 5 or more employees, all restaurants, bars, retail food stores, hospitals, nursing homes, buildings owned or leased by the state, school buildings, elevators, dormitories in public institution of higher education, etc. Not only do many smokers disregard these laws, but law enforcement also does a poor job of fining offenders. It is their job to enforce this law and maybe if it was done more people would be scared of consequence and this would be less of a problem.

It is said to not be socially acceptable to show favor or hate based on one’s beliefs, race, gender, culture, religion, lifestyle, or sexual orientation. Smoking is a part of some lifestyles and it’s something that certain people have chosen to do. Because of this, participators will argue by banning smoking on college campuses, we are banning their lifestyle and therefore, discriminating against them, which isn’t socially acceptable.

Do smoking bans limit personal freedoms? Yes- for smokers. To tell people that they aren’t allowed to engage in a legal activity in public places or on campus is to limit their rights- understood. But that leaves out a big group of people: the unwilling, innocent second-hand smokers who don’t think inhaling mouthfuls of toxins is fun. These bans protect their freedom to breathe air without sucking in pollution. For example, biting your nails is a habit. This would never be banned so why should smoking? Because sitting next to someone biting their nails in public is not dangerous. But sitting next to a smoker, or even having to walk through a cloud of smoke, is dangerous. To protect the rights of smokers is to limit the rights of everybody else, who deserves access to clean air.

Everyone should have a chance to live in an area where their air is clean from a bunch of chemicals that cause illness. People deserve to live longer and enjoy life without a disease caused by inhaling smoke. The point is not to punish smokers; it is to reduce air pollution and prolong the lives we have on this earth.

Works cited

1. “By the Numbers: Addressing Tobacco Use on College Campuses.” CVS Health, 1 Jan. 1970, cvshealth.com/thought-leadership/by-the-numbers-addressing-tobacco-use-on-college-campuses.
2. “Health Effects.” American Lung Association
3. “News.” Smoking Policy, www.ccsu.edu/policy/smokingPolicy.html.
4. “Second Hand Smoke.” Second Hand Smoke | National Environmental Health Association: NEHA, www.neha.org/eh-topics/air-quality-0/second-hand-smoke.

Nowadays, the rate of tobacco use among children and teens has skyrocketed. In the year 2015 9.3% of high school students rumored to be smoking in the last 30 days. In the same year, 2.3% of middle school students smoked in the last 30 days. Overall, 25.3% of high school students and 7.4% of middle school students have engaged in the use of tobacco Product. Cancer, heart disease, stroke, reproductive effects such as ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, and many others are some of the effects of tobacco use. There is a campaign called tobacco-free kids conducted by an organization called tobacco-free kids are leading advocacy helping to cut down the use of tobacco to save the lives of children and teens in the United States and around the world. This organization help prevent smoking and helps smokers quit. Moreover, the American Lung Association has a program called Not On Program designed to help 14 to 19 years old who want to quit smoking. However, the media is responsible for promoting the use of tobacco product. Which leads to unsuccessful reduction or prevention of tobacco use among children and teens. In addition, children, and teens believe that tobacco products like e-cigarettes do not cause any harm and also children and teens are attracted to the flavors of e-cigarette like peach pit, bubble gum, milk chocolate ice cream making it difficult to put an end to the tobacco products. Not forgetting how addictive these products are.

There are, many solutions to smoking among children and teens, and here are some of the solutions to smoking among children and teens. First, increasing the price of tobacco product will make it difficult for children and teens to have assessed to them since they won’t be able to afford it. Second, anti-smoking commercial on tobacco product since commercial is what promoted or attracted the attention of children and teens to use tobacco Product. Study shows that media campaign against tobacco use has reduced smoking and saved lives. Lastly, children and teens must be educated on the dangers or consequences of tobacco use. When children are educated on the negative effects of tobacco use especially on their health, it will reduce the use of tobacco products among children and teens.

Moreover, children look up to their parent as role models it will be a very good idea if parents can educate their children about the risk of tobacco product. The school base prevention programs such as media literacy training and peer education programs will help inform children and teens on the dangers of smoking. This will also help them to identify and combat the influence of their peers, tobacco marketers and demonstrate refusal skills.

To conclude, there are many negative impacts on the use of Tobacco products among children and teens. We all have to work together to put a stop to tobacco. We want children and teens to live their lives eventually and not die prematurely. Study shows that 5.6 million youth under the age of 18 will die prematurely due to smoking-related issues. I think we all have to work together to put a total stop to tobacco use. As they always say, “Two heads better than one”.

References

1. Gregory, M. (2016). Deadly Alliance, 32(2). Retrieved from https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/content/what_we_do/industry_watch/store_report_slideshow/Deadly_Alliance_2016.pdf
2. GÜREL, E. (2017). SWOT ANALYSIS: A THEORETICAL REVIEW. Journal of International Social Research, 10(51), 994-1006. Doi: 10.17719/jisr.2017.1832
3. Home. (2019). Retrieved 25 August 2019, from https://www.tobaccofreekids.org
4. Hanbury, A., Farley, K., & Thompson, C. (2015). Cost and feasibility: an exploratory case study comparing the use of a literature review method with questionnaires, interviews and focus groups to identify barriers for a behavior–change intervention. BMC Health Services Research, 15(1). Doi: 10.1186/s12913-015-0877-1
5. Peerally, M., Carr, S., Waring, J., & Dixon-Woods, M. (2016). The problem with root cause analysis. BMJ Quality & Safety, bmjqs-2016-005511. Doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2016-005511
6. School-Based Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Programs – RHIhub Toolkit. (n.d.). Retrieved August 20, 2019, from https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/tobacco/2/schools/prevention-cessation
7. Samuel Taiwo, A., &.Olufunke Idunnu, F. (2007). Impact of Strategic Planning on Organizational Performance and Survival. Research Journal of Business Management, 1(1), 62-71. Doi: 10.3923/rjbm.2007.62.71
8. Tobacco Use among Children and Teens. Retrieved from https://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/smoking-facts/tobacco-use-among-children.html

Every task we perform in our life has some curiosity hidden inside it, curiosity to experience something new. Unaware of its pros and cons we want to experience it. Once we get a spark of pleasure from that experience it becomes our habit and then slowly that habit becomes our addiction. Everything has developed in its own way in each and every corner of this world may it be science, business or diseases. Yes even diseases have shown development, now diseases are sold in shops, cafe, restaurants and supermarkets wrapped in some paper, packed in a packet and with a bold warning on their marketing packet itself that ‘smoking causes cancer’. Even after being warned by tobacco producing companies that their product is harmful 6.5 trillion cigarettes are being sold every year which accounts for 18 billion cigarettes per day. So the question that pops up in our mind is what could be the main reason behind so many people smoking even after being warned?

To identify different reasons for smoking a study was conducted among the students of Jordan University of Science & Technology in Irbid, Jordan. The study consisted of random 650 students. After being asked it was revealed that 28.6% of students were smoking out of which among males 50.2% were found to smoke and for females it was found to be 6.5%. On being asked friends were the main source for smoking and most of them had lighten up their first cigarette at the age of 15. For males the main reason was found to be calming down and for females it was found out to be independence. Reason given by smokers to begin smoking was pleasure which was further followed by stress. Out of the 28.6% smokers 2/3rd of them thought to quit smoking in the coming time. Rest of the smokers didn’t want to quit because of their addiction or because they had no idea how to quit smoking. Another study was conducted in metropolitan area of Darwin, Australia. It included 80 regular smokers 21 being males and rest 59 being females to write down all possible reasons they could think of for smoking. At the end 25 reasons were found that people usually have for smoking. To cross check these 25 reason another 128 regular smokers were involved 59 males and rest 69 being females and out of these 25,4 major reasons were identified that were social acceptance, addiction or habit, pleasure & boredom. Even out of these 4, addiction and pleasure were found to be more strongly supported by smoker’s themselves.

From all of these studies pleasure and addiction can be considered to be most important factors influencing tobacco use. So the question which is the need of an hour is which is the driving force for continuation of smoking, pleasure or addiction? Pleasure due to tobacco is due to a major constituent called nicotine which is known to be a major motivation for smokers to continue. Nicotine after being smoked enters brain where it stimulates nicotinic cholinergic receptor. Nicotinic cholinergic receptors after being stimulated release a well-known neurotransmitter known as Dopamine. Dopamine is generally referred as chemical for pleasure. Once people get this pleasure they light up cigarette every time they need it.

Cigarette smoking is not just a habit for smokers which they can easily quit, smoking for them is like a therapy to relieve stress or to get out of depression. According to a study smoker tries to quit for about 6-11 times before he/she successfully quits smoking. As smoking cigarette is associated with release of dopamine which induces pleasure and smokers feel relaxed. Slowly when this dopamine level starts decreasing nicotine withdrawal symptoms become to appear such as depression, irritation, mood swings and carving for nicotine which drives smoker back to cigarettes. This is an important reason why majority of smokers are not able to quit smoking.

Till now it is clear that tobacco is majorly used for pleasure or for relaxing mind but among which group of people tobacco use is more prevalent? To answer this question a study was conducted in India which involved 301984 adults age group ranging from 18 or above. Results of study highlighted the relation between socioeconomic status & tobacco consumption. People without any education were found to be smoking 2.69 times more compared to people with post-graduation. In regarding with socioeconomic status low socioeconomic status people were found to be smoking 2.54 times more than people with high socioeconomic status. According to a recent survey the total population of smokers is 1.3 billion out of which 84% of the population lives in developing and transitional economic countries. Socioeconomic status and tobacco can be studied at 2 different levels individual level and national level. If talking about individual level money spent by poor people on tobacco can cost them more they can think of because money which they have to spent on their daily requirements and education is spent on tobacco which in turn gives them serious diseases like cancers, heart attacks and respiratory diseases which again costs them a lot. Instead of spending money on basic needs of life like food, shelter and education poor people spend money on tobacco. According to study conducted in Bangladesh it was found that 10.5 million people who are suffering from malnourishment can get adequate food if they stop spending money on tobacco. Reasons why poor people spend more money on tobacco instead of spending it on basic needs of life can be they have never informed how to live a healthy life due to lack of public policies which provide information and knowing this fact that poor people do not have education and do not know about healthy lifestyle tobacco companies are successful in targeting this group of population.

But what about the case of those children who are getting education and are very well informed about negative impacts of smoking begin to smoke? To answer this question here is an example of a 12 year old child who saw her parents smoking. For her smoking was not a bad habit because her parents were very hard working and good people for her. So following her parents she started smoking at the age of 12. Even after so many programs being conducted in her school regarding adverse effects of smoking could not influence her because of the image of her parents smoking. She continued smoking after that with her friends and later with her collogues. After getting married and having kids she smoke because of being depressed and ignoring long term hazards of smoking she focused more on to pass her present day8. So according to this case child’s parents were smokers which drag the child on the path of smoking but there are other reason as well why people start smoking. Some people start smoking just to show that they have grown up and they are not any more a little kid. Other reasons for beginning of smoking can be peers or siblings. It is been observed that from the day beginner lights up his/her first cigarette within a time period of 1 year his/her brain needs desired nicotine level due to which they need to smoke in fixed regular interval of time.

According to the above example parents are the reason why child started smoking but if on one hand parent’s can be a reason for a child to start smoking on the other hand children can be the reason why most of the parents quit smoking. Some parents quit smoking for being a good examples for their child. Every year out of every 5 smokers 2 of them try to quit but success rate being only 10%. Smokers that were successful in quitting smoking were found to have some regulations regarding not to smoke within their homes & were more aware about their health issues. Study also confirmed that by involving any family member would motivate smokers to quit10. Success rate of smokers to quit smoking which is quite low could be due to addiction towards nicotine.

Discussion

According to the results there can be various reasons which make people start walking on the path of smoking. Major influencing factor is pleasure that smokers get in the rear of smoking their first cigarette and during the hour they are running for pleasure they set up high nicotine levels for brain which accounts for addiction of smoking. Smokers from their very first day of smoking establish a comfort zone in which the only friend they have is a cancer stick which helps them to calm down and get over any kind of problem they are going through. But that’s not the actual friend they have because to the name of friend smoking is gifting mankind plenty of toxins and many other diseases. Considering pleasure which doesn’t lasts for long but can be experienced again and again number of cigarettes per day keeps on increasing which indeed increases dependence on smoking leading to addiction. And eventually in life of a smoker cigarette gets attached to every emotion of their life.

Smoking is injurious to health is now very well-known phrase even among people with lower education but by the time individual gets conscious of it they are already dependent on it. A fake believe among youth that they are not going to be a long term smoker brings them more close to cigarettes and within couple of years there is not a single day they can survive without a cigarette. Young individual usually begin to smoke to relieve stress or relax their mind there are plenty other methods to alleviate tension here comes the part of family tree and friends. Smokers are not alone under negative impacts of smoking person surrounding them inhaling smoke are at high increased risk of getting harmed. This is more often seen in restaurants and cafes where non-smokers are frequently surrounded by smokers and are effected due to smoke.

Guidance plays a crucial role in every person’s life to make them recognize distinctness connecting good and poor. 31.9% persons with no diploma were found to smoke compared with 6.4% individuals with graduate degree. To depart from smoking is not effortless task for a long term smoker as he/she will encounter carving for smoking due to nicotine dependency, will have depressed mood and anxiety which will drive him back to smoking. This carving for smoking is major challenge faced by smokers and most important obstacle of their path to quit smoking. Certain smokers don’t even make an effort to quit smoking as they do not consider themselves obsessed with cigarettes.

Another thing in market known as e-cigarette is often used by many smokers those who are trying to quit. Success rate for these e-cigarettes are quite impressive. According to a recent study conducted among US citizens which supported that e-cigarettes were one of the most efficient way used by smokers to quit. In contrasrt to other years 2014-2015 showed improvement in rates of smoker’s quitting. If the present trend continues in coming years cases related to smoking will begin to double compare to present ones. It is not only responsibility of normal individuals to have a control over smoking, support from government is equally important. According to a study government collects more than 200 billion $ globally out of which less than 1% of total collection is spent on tobacco control programs. The reason behind government being least interested is that huge collection of tobacco related taxes they collect worldwide and no-one in today’s time wants to kill a goose that lays golden eggs. As tobacco smoking is disaster created by humans then only humans are capable of controlling and managing this disaster or else tobacco killing will soon reach a billion.

Conclusion

Smoking is not only a habit nowadays, it has become the part of identity for some people and it has become a new standard for people to prove they have grown up. It is not only nicotine addiction or pleasure, people with long term history of cigarette smoking are psychological attached to cigarettes which becomes the major hurdle for them to cross and quit smoking. People begin smoking for pleasure or to relax themselves but end up being addicted to it. To escape the pool of nicotine smoker first needs to realize that he is enjoying in a wrong pool, this pool has pleasure only on its superficial layers but fatal diseases and increased expenses will continue drowning them. Poor people make up for highest percentage of smokers globally just because of inadequate public health services and lack of education. According to some people everyone has to die due to something so why they should face so much of challenges and bother themselves to quit smoking. This also is an important cause among to carry on with smoking and enjoy their pleasure until they are alive. Surprising fact is most of the smokers are aware of negative impacts of smoking but they do not have free choice to quit because they are so addicted that they need to smoke either just after waking up in the morning or within 30 minutes they get down from bed. So pleasure and addiction to cigarette are co-related to each other people begin to smoke for gaining pleasure or to relax their mind to face the problems and situations but end up being addicted to it. For relaxing mind or gaining pleasure smoking is not the only option people are left with and even the pleasure they choose is not the real pleasure it is never ending path which has hand full of problems and diseases along with fake pleasure. People now a days instead of focusing on long term destructive results of smoking tend to choose short term pleasurable moments to get a break from their daily life schedule. Regarding youngster when they observe their mom dad and grandparents smoking around them and still living a normal life do not consider smoking as a injurious human habit which is now a day’s major factor for increasing young children smokers. Every individual should has easy access to public health care programs where they get informed by harmful effects of smoking and should be helped if they take a step forward to leave smoking but before that human beings have to be influenced that smoking is not a stress reliever instead it is the major cause why they have stress related problems and there are countless other better options to make people feel better and happy.

A well-known phrase very well explains the condition of smokers who take initiate to quit smoking is “to escape from the prison you must first have to realize that you are in prison”.

Abstract

This report explains in various ways why smoking tobacco is harmful for smokers , non-smokers, animals and the environment in general. It also goes in depth to whether smoking should be banned or not. It also states the cons and pros of tobacco while providing suggestions as to how many lives could be saved as a result of banning tobacco.

Introduction

Tobacco is a crop, mostly used for the act of making cigarettes and is easily found anywhere throughout the world. Nicotine is a really harmful and addictive drug that is found in tobacco and is the main cause of many types of illnesses.

Tobacco is a nervous system stimulant that triggers complex biochemical. It decreases your capacity to taste and smell, increases your heart rate, increases blood pressure and irritates lung tissue.

Since the introduction of tobacco, it has been the most deadliest artefact in the history of human civilisation. People say that they use tobacco for several reasons such as stress relief, pleasure and in social situation. While they’re feeling the pleasure of smoking tobacco, they don’t realise that its harming them and the people around them. This gives second-hand smokers a higher chance of getting lung cancer as well as it increases the risk of developing laryngeal cancer (voice box) and much more illnesses that smokers and non-smokers ignore.

Tobacco use is a worldwide plague among youngsters. Similarly as with grown-ups, it represents a genuine wellbeing risk to smokers and non-smokers. the impact of smoking on the industry is really bad as The World Health Organization (WHO) has already estimated that by the year of 2030 there will be more than 8 million tobacco related deaths, resulting in 10% of annual death worldwide.

Literature review

There’s a study about tobacco that was done which included about 267 participants. Students were divided into 2 groups 52% were Chinese & the other 48% were Korean. They were enrolled through the first year of college. The data of the study was collected over 4 in-person interviews. One of the main outcomes from the study showed that smoking was defined as someone who has smoked at least 100 cigarettes. Over a period of time on the study it showed that 25% non-smokers tried smoking a cigarette for their first time, 9% became addicted. For some reason Korean students were more likely to become addicted than others. These studies suggest that they shouldn’t be supportive with smoking amongst Asian-American college students.

Methodology

Today we live in a world were whenever someone is in need he goes to the internet for answers. People who surf the web for valuable information about certain studies or about a certain time in history, go to known and certified websites and they make sure that its verified information before they use it. What I did is that I took most of my information from a government website which is www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov or the other information which I took from certified medical websites stated in my reference.

Findings

1. The main chemical in tobacco.

   Nicotine, It is the effective drug which gives people the affect they crave from smoking a cigarette and is one of the worst and main chemicals in tobacco and is at least as hard to stop as heroin. It takes 10 to 15 seconds for the nicotine to reach your brain after your first inhale. As a smoker relates smoking with a pleasant feeling, at a certain time, at a certain place as well as the feel of the cigarette, it all becomes part of the addiction. Trying to quit smoking afterwards will cause side effects due to the nicotine.

2. Smoking & smokeless tobacco.

   Tobacco is a plant that is usually rolled in paper and smoked as a cigarette but it could be smoked in other several ways such as in cigars or pipes, however the same plant is used for smokeless tobacco which is known as snuff and/or chewing tobacco and it only has to be between the users gum and lip. Smoking and smokeless tobacco are both harmful and could lead to cancer and be deadly. Although smokeless tobacco is less harmful than cigarettes it hasn’t been proven to help smokers quit.

3. Second-hand smoking.

   Second-hand smoking is known as passive smoking. It’s a combination of the smoke breathed out by the smoker, and the smoke coming out of the lit end of their cigarette. Both smokers, and non-smokers around them, inhale this in unintentionally due to the fact that more than 80% of the smoke they inhale is odourless and invisible, so no matter how hard the smoker is trying to blow the smoke away harmful chemicals will still be inhaled by the people around him putting them at risk of cancer, pneumonia, meningitis and bronchitis.

Long & short term effects of smoking

Short term effects:

• The main cause of death and illness in the UK is smoking. An estimated number of more than 120,000 people die each year from diseases caused by smoking tobacco.
• Some of the effects a smoker might experience after a short time of smoking are feelings of relaxation, increased concentration and alertness, reduction of activity in the nervous system, increase of blood pressure, bad breath, low appetite, dizziness, vomiting, headache and coughing due to irritation from smoking.

Long term effects:

• Tar is produced by the act of burning tobacco and is the cause of lung cancer and throat cancer for smokers. While smokers ignore the many disadvantages of smoking they don’t realise that carbon dioxide in tobacco reduces the amount of oxygen that is available to the muscles, brain and blood which means the whole body gets weaker and has to work even harder. Overtime this causes blood pressure to rise which could lead to strokes and heart attacks.
• Some of the long term effects a smoker might experience are increased risk of brain damage, laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers, shortness of breath, asthma, early wrinkles, slower healing wounds, increased chances of back pains, damaged sperm, and lower fertility due to smoking on the long term.

Smoking’s effect on animals

Smoking tobacco isn’t only bad for smokers and passive smokers but is also harmful for animals as well. A research at the University of Massachusetts found out that cats who live with smokers are more than twice as likely to suffer from feline lymphoma, and the studies of population suggests that the act of environmental smoke might increase the risk of lung cancer for dogs. If more smokers gets to acknowledge the fact that smoking harms animals and put their lives at risk it might help reduce the amount of smokers around the world. A study was held by the Henry Ford Health System Centre for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention suggest that most smokers with animal companions decide to stop smoking if they knew that it puts their cats or dogs life at risk.

Should smoking be banned or not?

Why smoking should be banned:

• Pollution; as people smoke cigarettes they release toxins in the air which contributes to pollution
• Cancer; smokers have a really high risk of getting cancer, chances of avoiding cancer are increased directly after stopping.
• Addiction; cigarettes is the one of the most addictive products and the easiest to find in the world today.
• Public Health; smokers harm non-smokers by the smoke they exhale which is called second hand smoking for non-smoker, it also harms dogs and cats by increasing their chances of getting cancer.
• Children; parents who smoke indoors put their children’s life at risk. As young bodies that are still developing and growing are usually more sensitive the smoke harms them the most as well as it makes their children addicted and make them go on the same path as their parents.
• Dental Health; adults face enough dental issues from bad diets, less exercise, aging and smoking only makes it worse.
• Living situation; Smokers are limited for their living space as not everyone is willing to live with a smoker.

Why smoking shouldn’t be banned:

• Religion; Native Americans use tobacco in religious ceremonies.
• Economy; For example in the in The United States about 14,000 people were working in the tobacco industry at an annual wage of approximately $60,000.
• There is about 1.1 billion smokers around the world, banning tobacco will most probably upset most of them.
• Tax revenue; Since 1998 up till 2013 the government of The United States collected over half a trillion dollar worth of tobacco tax revenue.

Conclusion

In conclusion I think that smoking should be banned not only because it harms the smoker but also because it harms the people and animals around him. Smoking has been legal for a long time now and smokers just keep being ignorant about the fact that its killing them and the people around them slowly. Finally I think that more people should be supportive towards the act of banning tobacco for a future that would be filled with healthy people on healthy land.

References

1. Health, N. (2018). Introduction, Summary, and Conclusions. [online] Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK99239/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2018].
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3. Godfrey, M. (2018). 10 Reasons Why Cigarette Smoking Should be Banned. [online] ListLand.com. Available at: https://www.listland.com/10-reasons-why-cigarette-smoking-should-be-banned/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2018].
4. Dan, M. (2018). 10 Reasons Tobacco Should Be Banned Or Not Banned – History and Headlines. [online] Historyandheadlines.com. Available at: https://www.historyandheadlines.com/10-reasons-tobacco-banned-banned/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2018].
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6. Cancer.org. (2018). Harmful Chemicals in Tobacco Products | American Cancer Society. [online] Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/tobacco-and-cancer/carcinogens-found-in-tobacco-products.html [Accessed 10 Dec. 2018].
7. PETA. (2018). Smoking Endangers Animals Too | PETA. [online] Available at: https://www.peta.org/living/animal-companions/smoking-endangers-animals/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2018].
8. Mydr.com.au. (2018). Smoking: what are the effects? – myDr.com.au. [online] Available at: https://www.mydr.com.au/addictions/smoking-what-are-the-effects [Accessed 10 Dec. 2018].

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to provide the importance of understanding the values, and ethics of other cultures in an international environment. Over recent years, more and more businesses are seeking international business is on a rapid rise due to expansion, growth, and profits. In this module, the assignment for this week involves selling tobacco products in the United States, but more so across the country in places like Brazil, China, Russia, and Singapore, which has such an impact on society. The debatable topic of cigarette smoking has raised the question is it morally right or morally wrong to smoke cigarettes is a challenging issue.

To understand international business leaders need to learn the acculturation of different cultures and have a cultural policy in place to support other cultures. However, there is a challenge for conducting business internationally due to cultural differences between countries and how ethics and values are a whole different standard than our culture. International business is about exchanging goods and services between two or more countries. According an article, business leaders need to set an example, enforce, and live by four key values are honesty, fairness, concern for others, and achievement in global business (‘Engaging Values in International Business Practice,’ n.d.). “Businesspeople who work across cultures in effect have entered the theater in the middle of the movie, and often they must perform the translation work of business to put their understanding and approach into local cultural idioms” (Byars & Stanberry, n.d., p. 5.1). In other words, business owners or investors that have an international business have to modify maybe marketing to products of the other culture other than own culture products.

Cultural policy is a policy that is used to help cultures promote, fund, support, protect the rights, and make a cultural impact in our cultural communities. The need for cultural policy is to address problems to solve, make decisions, use strategies, and come up with resolutions for policy and cultural issues that are made by policymakers. Policymakers are problem solvers and decision-makers who are responsible for our policy and cultural issues. The policymakers who make these decisions are made by the government, White House officials, School Boards, Congress, and many other officials. But mainly, the government plays a major role in our cultural policy. By the government having such control in their hands their emphasis is on the rich and powerful interests.

The advertising of tobacco products use has been around throughout history for quite some time. In particular, cigarette smoking for many years was considered being as cool and accepted by society. The advertising and promoting tobacco products around the world was and still is rising not just in the United States more so in other parts of the world especially among young teens is unethical. Although, Surgeon General has shown evidence of the harmful effects of cigarette smoking on health tobacco companies continue to do business.

The tobacco industry is a billion-dollar industry and they are good at what they do is targeting young teens with their big advertising ads to grab their attention. Tobacco industries spend a billion dollars alone just in advertising and marketing their products to influence young teens to smoke cigarettes. Although it’s not against the law to promote and advertise tobacco or for young teens that are legal age to smoke is still a challenge of unethical issues due to harmful effects on health and addiction. However, for some individuals smoking cigarettes is ethical due to their rights to smoke. Although smoking cigarettes is a choice of the individual and has rights it still doesn’t make it morally right.

Applying my personal experience has hit so close to home about cigarette smoking. This might sound off because of the assignment we are writing is about smoking because I am a smoker. I have been a smoker since I was of legal age to smoke. I know the effects it does to your health yet, I still smoke. My Aunt Rebecca died of lung cancer from being a smoker at 57 years of age and I saw how it affected her health when I was just a kid. Yet I pick up the filthy habit of smoking cigarettes. I do want to quit smoking because I do want to live. I don’t know, I just need to take the steps of quitting and take my health more seriously and stop being in denial. Every time a television commercial came on about smoking that showed the scariest effects of smoking that can do to your health I would change the channel. I did not want to face how horrible the effects it did to people and the suffering it caused. Now it’s time for me to quit and take the necessary steps I need to get help.

Just in recent years, this generation has turned around to encourage individuals to never to start smoking and “You can quit” campaign. The campaigns and advertisements they have out now are to target and encourage young teens to not smoke. Instead of spending millions of dollars on advertising to smoke out society has now stepped up to fight against tobacco companies. There are commercials about products to help you stop smoking such as Chantix. This generation has broken the cycle they are no longer accepting cigarette smoking. Today’s society is accepting prevention, as a result, this generation has declined cigarette smoking drastically due to prevention commercials and campaigns.

Key Takeaways

• International business is about exchanging of goods and services the two or more countries.

• Acculturation means adjusting and adapting to another culture that is not original own culture but still keeping their own culture.

• Enculturation means adapting and learning about the surrounding culture they are living including moral values and behavior.

• Our policy in the U.S. is not only to address issues for culture, but many other policies are used for other issues such as economic growth, global issues, education, technology, and community development.

• The key elements of cultural policy are to give diverse cultures many opportunities, promote, and embrace diversity but also, strive for economic growth to help our society to create more jobs and benefits culture.

• The important part of a government role in a cultural policy that is protecting the rights of diverse cultures.

Conclusion

In today’s society, we all know that smoking causes many health problems that lead to death. Smoking cigarettes is no safe level about it just harms your body. Some may argue smoking is ethical, others may say it’s unethical to smoke. The only way I can see tobacco products as morally wrong because of the harmful effects of health, addiction, and the innocents of second- hand smoke. Ultimately, tobacco companies don’t tell the truth they continue to deny that cigarette smoking can do harmful effects on your health. Just more recently, tobacco companies created new products to continue to make even more profit and influence on young teens even more which are called e-cigarettes and vaping. Tobacco companies are becoming more and more developing new products that are a danger for individuals, especially for young teens. The sad part about young teens has a tendency to easily influence and following the next new trend that is on the rise.

Additionally, the government focuses on economic growth more solely than the values and principles of cultures. The main point of cultural policy is to give diverse cultures many opportunities, promote, and embrace diversity but to strive for economic growth to help our society to create more jobs and benefit cultural all at the same time. Most importantly, this generation needs to continue to fight for prevention and find a solution to end smoking no matter what culture or background you come from and produce products that are going to benefit health more so than deadly products in the United States as well as all other countries.

The subject of consideration in this work is the Smoking Ban Act, a law banning smoking in public places, which was adopted by the British Parliament in 2006 and entered into force on 1 July 2007. The aim of the discussions is to present the political and social considerations of the introduction of the Smoking Ban Act in public places in the UK since 2007.

The conditions for the implementation of these rules, as well as the attitude of the main political forces in the UK and society itself, will therefore be carefully outlined. As a preliminary point, it should be noted that the legislation in question was not the first in the British Isles to address this issue. Since the 1960s, the Government’s public health policy in London has increasingly focused on reducing the number of deaths and diseases caused by smoking. These initiatives reduced smoking levels in society from 70 percent in 1962 (the year the Royal College of Physicians published its groundbreaking study found that smoking causes lung cancer) to 24 percent in 2005. However, smoking still caused about a hundred thousand deaths a year, and passive smoking was blamed for about eleven thousand of these deaths. In addition, smoking has increasingly been shown to be an important factor in causing health inequalities in society. Evidence of the health effects of passive smoking (and a decrease in the proportion of the population who smoke) has increased interest in smoking in public places. (The Ban on Smoking in Public Places, op. cit., p. 107.)

In 1998, the Labour government published the first ever so-called White Paper on tobacco, cigarettes and continued the tradition of relying on a voluntary approach to controlling smoking in public places. At the beginning of the 21st century, it was clear that the level of compliance with the voluntary ban was low and the Government in London, also in the context of outdoor smoking, was increasingly pushing for a ban on statutory smoking. However, this would represent a kind of leap in the UK Government’s efforts to regulate private behavior and would risk significant opposition within (and outside) parliament. The manifesto presented by the Labour Party in 2005 proposed only a partial ban. However, this has not come to fruition. (Institute for Government, 2012, p. 99.) It should also be pointed out that, at present, a total ban on smoking in public places is widely accepted and its overall compliance is at a relatively high level. Further reflection will allow an analysis of how this particular breakthrough has been achieved, in decades-long efforts to reduce smoking rates in public places, despite deep ambivalence within the UK Government itself.

All the work consists of three main parts. This is an introduction that set out the general substance and need for social policy to be implemented and methodological assumptions, the core part is a key body of work, as well as a summary that will describe the basic effects of the changes introduced and determine the degree of achievement of the research objective.

The presentation of the very moment of the introduction of the ban on smoking in public places in 2007 and its conditions requires a few years of withdrawal when the first decisions were taken in this regard. In 1997, the country held an election in which the Labour Party won. According to the source material, the new Labour government initially had a very mixed attitude towards tobacco – although it raised tax rates from 3 percent to 5 percent on tobacco products, it had a controversial position on exempting Formula One from the EU directive on advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products that was unfavorable to it. Tessa Jowell, who was appointed British Minister of Public Health in 1997, was considered a supporter of smoking. However, she quickly decided to take action to ‘address health inequalities’ due to smoking in society. (European Commission.2011) In practice, however, between 1997 and 2001, the government was unable to take decisive action. The most important of these activities are the Smoking Kills (1998), the government’s first White Paper on smoking, particularly on education, voluntary agreements with tobacco companies, and nicotine replacement therapy – all aimed at making it easier for Britons to quit smoking and reduce the impact of this addiction mainly on children and young people. These proposals were met with a growing number of calls for the government to take more active action to achieve significant health benefits from the move away from smoking and the impact of tobacco smoke. The government’s Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health issued a report in 1998 explicitly stating that passive smoking is the cause of lung cancer and coronary artery disease in adults. In 2002, the British Medical Association (BMA) called for a ban on smoking in public places because of the risk to non-smokers. (Institute for Government.2011)

As evidence of the risks of passive smoking gathered, there has been a change in the attitude of the British public towards this issue. In the late 1990s, smoking was already banned in many offices, as well as in closed public places such as cinemas and means of transport, but at the same time only in a few pubs, bars, and restaurants. As a result, these facilities have become a particular subject of debate on whether legislation is required to protect workers and customers from exposure to secondhand smoke. The government continued to advocate self-regulation of tobacco behavior. In July 1999, the Committee on Health and Safety proposed a Code of Conduct for Passive Smoking at Work. (gov. The UK.2020) Although a Code of Conduct has been developed, this approach has never been implemented due to concerns among the hospitality industry and tobacco manufacturers about profits and job losses. In the meantime, the Department of Health has decided to enter into discussions with the hospitality industry in the UK with a view to concluding a voluntary agreement on the matter. Introduced in September 1999, the so-called Charter of Public Places was signed by fourteen industry associations. The agreement states that 50 percent of all premises should adopt a formal smoking policy, while 35 percent of them should limit smoking to only designated areas or introduce adequate ventilation. However, despite progress towards these targets, the percentage of smoke-free places has increased from only 1% to 2%. There was no strategy in the Labour government to extend these measures. (The Ban on Smoking in Public Places, op. cit., p. 102.) A similar position was also represented by the Conservative Party. Its representatives – as was the case in the Labour Party – declared that the market would regulate itself and that the owners of individual premises should be given the freedom to establish smoke-free spaces.

The government’s chief medical officer, Dr Liam Donaldson, wanted to use his position to make the case for stronger action. In June 2003, its annual report (for 2002) was published with a clear recommendation that the UK should move to a mandatory ban on smoking in public places, as voluntary agreements with individual industries did not (quickly enough) reduce the health risks of passive smoking. This was not only a bold departure from previous government policy but also encountered unforeseen difficulties. Mr Donaldson described the timing of the report’s publication as ‘terrible’, due to the resignation of the then Health Minister Alan Milburn, on the eve of the planned publication date. As this annual report was always drafted independently, it was only shown to ministers the night before publication. Mr. Donaldson spoke to Mr. Milburn about the report, but the Secretary of State stepped down. John Reid was appointed in his place. This caused a short delay in the publication of the document. However, the final publication of the CMO report meant that it was already inevitable that the issue of smoking bans in public places had to be fixed and resolved in Labour’s 2005 electoral program. (The Ban on Smoking in Public Places, op. cit., p. 102.)

The debate on this issue has become very fierce. During this intense debate, two critical decisions had to be taken. Firstly, whether or not to opt for such legislation at all. It was clear that the existing voluntary approach did not work, as only a few pubs were banned from smoking. The lack of self-regulation has forced the government to adopt tougher measures. In this respect, ASH considered John Reid’s contribution to be particularly critical. As the only health minister who has held such a strong negative stance so far and has not influenced other members of the government at all to overcome resistance to legislation in this area. Mr. Reid was a heavy smoker and quit smoking only 18 months before taking office. He was skeptical about calls for a total ban on smoking in public places. Speaking at a Labour Big Conversation meeting in June 2004, Mr. Reid presented the issue in class terms, suggesting people from ‘ lower socio-economic backgrounds give very little pleasure, and one of them may be smoking’. (Guardian.2004) This denunciation, contrary to the intentions of Mr. Reid himself, was met with very serious public criticism. This was a turning point in the debate on smoking in public places. It quickly became apparent that public expectations far exceeded and overtook the actions of the then, government. The next key decision was what should be included in the legislation if it is to be enacted. Although the government agreed that action on smoking in enclosed public places was justified, the question of proportionality of state intervention remained up for discussion at all times. The fundamental argument concerned the extent to which the exercise of the rights of one individual should give the possibility of breach of the rights of others. There was no question of making smoking illegal; the idea was how to minimize the ability of smoking to endanger others, provided that smoking remains a lawful activity. There have been ongoing discussions with the CMO about the scope of the ban.

Over the past few years, smoking has become popular among teenagers, despite the harmful effects it has on their health. For example, vaping, the use of an electronic cigarette or similar device by inhaling and exhaling the vapor it produces, has become particularly popular. Regardless of its type, I believe that smoking among teenagers is a serious problem, the effects of which can be very negative.

Firstly, smoking damages oral health as it increases the risk of cavities and periodontal diseases. Let’s take for example this common vaping. A 2018 study concluded that the aerosols found in e-cigarettes can cause teeth to be more vulnerable to bacteria. These bacteria can cause cavities and an overall decrease in oral health. Another way vaping can influence oral health is by assisting in the development of periodontal diseases, according to evidence from studies from 2014 and 2016. Major factors that play into periodontal diseases are irritation in the gums, mouth, and throat, which can occasionally be triggered by smoking. The risks of periodontal disease include destruction of the jaw and tooth loss. While periodontal disease can be resolved in a few months, it can increase the risk of heart and lung diseases.

Smoking has been shown to increase heart rate and blood pressure, which can have harmful long-term effects on the heart, including the risk of heart disease. Heart attacks and strokes both are included and can result in fatality. Of course, other lifestyle choices are factored into the risk of heart disease, but daily cigarette use still can be a significant factor.

Smoking also can affect a teenager’s brain, causing more difficulty in school and trouble with how to act as an adult long-term. While smoking, a teenager’s ability to focus and stay on task is affected. This can make it harder for students to perform well in school and keep up with classwork and personal problems. These effects on the brain can result in teenagers dropping out of school. If they do drop out of school, it can be hard to find an adequate job as an adult, especially if they experience mood swings and impulse issues, which is another risk of frequent smoking. Overall smoking can lower a teenager’s ability to function as a contributing member of society.

On the whole, smoking will continue to negatively affect teenagers and their ability to perform as adults. Unless people can begin to realize how much today’s teenagers will be affected by their poor choices in the near future, people will continue to face the consequences. The population can decrease if fatalities from heart disease caused by smoking continue to incline. If teenagers who suffer from brain damage drop out of school, people will not have a functioning society, and unemployment rates could rise. If society can raise awareness among teenagers about the dangers of smoking and start programs to ensure teenagers’ safety against it, the overall health of teenagers will increase.

References

1. Gordon, Lonna. “Vaping: What You Need to Know”. TeensHealth. https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/e-cigarettes.html?scrlybrkr
2. N.A. “Is Vaping Bad for You? And 12 Other FAQs”. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/is-vaping-bad-for-you?scrlybrkr#effects-on-heart