Essay on Negative Effects of Vaping

Does Vaping Negatively Affect our Health?

Vaping is a technology that was created in 2003 by a Chinese pharmacist in Beijing. This inventor was a very heavy smoker and sought to create a way to inhale nicotine “like smoke” but without the harmful side effects of cigarettes. His inspiration to build such a device came from the passing of his beloved father, who succumbed to health issues caused by heavy smoking. Ever since its inception, vaping has been surrounded by confusion and misinformation. When it first came out in the scene, it was seen as a completely harmless alternative to smoking and a way to get smokers their “fix” without any of the negative side effects associated with cigarettes. However, in the past couple of years, vaping has morphed into a megalodon of an empire that dominates the tobacco marketplace and has become somewhat of a technological fashion accessory.

With the introduction of the revolutionary Juul device, everything changed. Instead of adult smokers looking for a fix, a massive influx of middle and high schoolers began abusing the device and it has led to some grim endings. Just within the past year, 1,080 lung injuries have been caused by vaping. Vaping has proven to have its own fair share of dangers, whether it’s salt-based nicotine or freebase nicotine, or even no nicotine. The most surefire way to avoid lung damage from such products is to abstain from smoking and vaping. An investigation into the well-being impacts of vaping is current, and it’s going to move slowly before we tend to see the semi-permanent dangers. This is what we tend to buy and by comprehending the results of vaping liquids and keeping in mind that does not plant poison, besides vaping pot or CBD oil. Preliminary research prescribes vaping stances risks to heart prosperity. The makers of a 2019 review point out that e-liquid pressurized canned items contain particulates, oxidizing authorities, aldehydes, and nicotine. At whatever point taken in, these pressurized canned items have no uncertain impact on the heart and circulatory system. A 2018 report from the National Institutes Press (Rest) found gigantic verification that taking a puff from a nicotine e-cigarette triggers an extension in heartbeat. The makers also portrayed moderate confirmation prescribing that taking a puff from an e-cigarette extends circulatory strain. Both could impact heart prosperity as time goes on.

An ongoing report assessed data from the country over the investigation of around 450,000 individuals and found no enormous connection between e-cigarette use and coronary sickness. Regardless, they found that people who smoked both standard cigarettes and e-cigarettes will undoubtedly have coronary disease. Another 2019 examination is reliant on the proportion of the country over investigation found that e-cigarette use related to an extended risk of a stroke, cardiovascular disappointment, angina, and coronary ailment. The makers of the 2018 assessment used data from another national prosperity diagram to arrive at a near goal: Day-by-day vaping relates to an extended peril of cardiovascular disappointment, on any occasion when other lifestyle segments are thought about. Finally, a 2017 review by trusted Wellspring of the cardiovascular effects of vaping exhibits that e-cigarettes may speak to specific threats to the heart and circulatory structure, very for people who starting at now have coronary disease.

In any case, the authorities assumed that, when all is said in done, vaping is accepted to be less risky to the heart than smoking cigarettes. A couple of assessments suggest that vaping may effectively influence the lungs, yet more research is required. An ongoing report broke down the effects of prepared e-presses on both human lung cells and lung cells in mice. The experts uncovered different antagonistic effects on the two sorts of cells, including lethality, oxidation, and irritation. Regardless, these results are not generally generalizable to vaping, everything considered. An ongoing report overviewed the lung limit of 10 people who had never smoked cigarettes following vaping fluids either with or without nicotine. The researchers contemplated that vaping both with and without nicotine aggravates normal lung work in commonly strong people. In any case, this assessment had a little model size, which means the results may not have any kind of effect on everyone. Curiously, an examination from 2017 pursued the respiratory prosperity of people who vaped yet never smoked and people who never vaped or smoked over 3.5 years. The examiners did not find any immense differentiation in lung prosperity and reactions between the two social occasions. This examination in like manner had a little model size.

The proportionate 2018 report from Rest found that there’s some confirmation that e-cigarette introduction effectively influences the respiratory structure, yet those additional examinations are required to understand on account of vaping adds to respiratory diseases. Vaping appears to have different negative effects on oral prosperity. For instance, an ongoing report declared that prologue to e-cigarette vaporization makes teeth surfaces continuously slanted to make microorganisms. The makers construed that vaping may grow the peril of pits. Another examination from 2016 suggests that vaping relates to gum exacerbation, a known factor in the headway of periodontal contaminations. So additionally, a 2014 review declared that vaping may trigger unsettling influence in the gums, mouth, and throat. Finally, a comparative Snooze report from 2018 wrapped up there’s some verification that both nicotine and sans-nicotine e-cigarettes can hurt oral cells and tissues in people who do not smoke cigarettes. The 2018 report from Rest found liberal evidence that vaping causes cell brokenness, oxidative weight, and damage to DNA. A bit of these cell changes have been associated with the improvement of infection as time goes on, anyway, there’s starting now no evidence to recommend that vaping causes danger.

Vaping may in like manner have unequivocal hostile ramifications for explicit social events, particularly for adolescents. The CDC trusted Source report that vaping with nicotine can forever impact emotional wellness in people more youthful than 25. It’s possible that we don’t yet have an idea of pretty much all the physical effects of vaping. “Juuling” implies vaping with a specific e-cigarette brand. It is very attractive to young age groups, due to its very sleek design. A Juul is a very skinny rectangle-shaped electric cigarette that is charged wirelessly using a USB. The e-liquid lands in a cartridge called a Juul pod and contain a ton of nicotine.

Vaping without nicotine is likely more secure than vaping with nicotine. Nicotine dependence is one of the noteworthy threats of vaping with nicotine. An ongoing report prescribes that people who vape with nicotine will undoubtedly end up subject to nicotine more than people who vape without nicotine. Vaping nicotine is especially perilous for adolescents. Adolescents who vape with nicotine will undoubtedly start smoking cigarettes later on. Regardless, e-cigarettes still present prosperity risks, even without nicotine. Sans nicotine e-juice contains different possibly harmful manufactured substances, for instance, base liquids and improving administrators. Studies suggest that without nicotine vaping can trouble the respiratory structure, cause cell end, trigger irritation, and harm veins. More research ought to be done as such as to understand the responses to nicotine vaping.

The rising use of vaping has absolutely skyrocketed, especially among youngsters. According to a CDC report, nearly 40% of high school seniors answered yes to vaping in 2018, which is up from the previous year’s rate of almost 30%. In regular numbers, across the US, this is an astounding 2.5 million jump to 4 million high school seniors.

Without a doubt, age restrictions play a part in keeping numbers like this low. In the US, some states have set a legal age limit of 21, while some have set age limits of 18 or 19 years old. This is still not preventing as many adolescents as it should from using vaping products and becoming lifelong addicted to nicotine. Additionally, right around 7,000,000 adults at least 18 years old use e-cigarettes.

E-cigarettes use a battery-powered device that warms a liquid to shape vapors — or, even more accurately, vaporized — that the customer can take puffs of. These contraptions warm up various flavorings, nicotine, marijuana, or other potentially dangerous substances. Nicotine is addictive. Also, remember that cigarettes started off being harmless too but they were eventually found the be the cause of many deaths. In a similar fashion, vaping-related lung disease cases are sweeping the nation as you read this. It is not clear how routinely vaping may provoke lung issues or who is all things considered raised risk. For example, a non-vaper and a vaper’s lungs look identical. All of a sudden, some vapers develop a terrible lung disease seemingly from out of nowhere that is visible. They now have breathing issues such as asthma.

It is progressively getting more and more popular with young individuals. Many of them have gotten sick and even have died solely from vaping and have lung disease even though they haven’t smoked tobacco or cigarettes before. Are dangerous chemicals being used in e-liquids? Well, Since the FDA does not successfully oversee e-cigarettes, it is particularly difficult to get answers. In development to whatever bliss vaping brings, some verification prescribes vaping energizes a couple of individuals to quit smoking. Regardless, how it considers a nicotine fix or various methods for smoking discontinuance is not clear.

Up until this point, the FDA has not embraced vaping as a method for smoking suspension. Moreover, various smokers who vape continue using the two cigarettes and e-cigarettes. The CDC’s position is that E-cigarettes can benefit many adult smokers, but smokers who are pregnant at whatever point should not smoke or vape, as it is a risk for the baby. In the meantime, the FDA alerts that vaping is not 100% completely safe for all people, whether they are young healthy teenagers or adults. They suggest that if people do not use tobacco items such as cigarettes or hookah, they should not start vaping as it might lead to a lifelong addiction to nicotine.

The veritable amicability between the favorable circumstances and perils of vaping remains hard to assess. We don’t, for the most part, have any idea regarding what’s in e-cigarettes. The FDA doesn’t deal with these things. Besides, there is no information available about the whole deal of prosperity impact. The late horrendous and aggravating cases of outrageous lung affliction are caused by concern. Different other prosperity effects are furthermore disturbing: Nicotine is significantly addictive and can impact the making mind, possibly harming youngsters and energetic adults. Even some without nicotine e-cigarettes have been found to contain nicotine.

A couple of substances found in e-cigarette vapor have been associated with an extended threat of threatening development. Adolescents who vape will undoubtedly begin smoking cigarettes. Impacts and devours have been represented with e-cigarettes while restoring the devices, in light of flawed batteries. Spontaneous prologue to liquid from e-cigarettes has caused extreme nicotine hurting in adolescents and adults. Vaping during pregnancy could hurt a making hatchling. How vaping impacts our general prosperity is uncertain. Perhaps vaping should be seen as a ‘lesser of shades of malice’ for current cigarette smokers.

All things considered, there is a great deal about vaping we don’t have any idea about. One way we will adapt more is by individuals revealing conceivable vaping-related medical issues to the FDA so the FDA can look into it and research more about it. Until we know more, be critical before starting to vape. Different people have vastly different results and reactions when it comes to drugs such as nicotine. Government and state specialists suggest maintaining a strategic distance from all vaping until more is known. On the off chance that you do choose to vape, dodge e-cigarettes purchased on the side of the road from shady dealers and stick with brand-name e-cigarette items that are trustworthy. These instances of serious lung sickness among individuals who vape bring up significant issues about the security of vaping. Maybe we shouldn’t be amazed that lung issues may create in individuals who vape: our lungs were intended to breathe in clean air and that’s it. It took numerous years to perceive the harm cigarettes can cause. It may be the same idea but with vaping this time.

Sources

  1. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/juuling-the-new-vaping-trend-thats-twice-as-addictive-as-cigarettes#1
  2. http://www.casaa.org/historical-timeline-of-electronic-cigarettes/
  3. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html
  4. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2019/09/07/what-we-know-about-mysterious-vaping-linked-illnesses-deaths/
  5. https://www.syracuse.com/news/2019/10/ny-has-first-vaping-related-death-cuomo-says-vaping-is-more-dangerous-than-cigarettes.html

Persuasive Essay on Smoking

2000 Words Essay About Smoking

The series of countless unsafe results and or consequences of smoking is no longer just for your lungs barring human beings yet. (The reasons why smoking is awful for you) These issues regarding fitness would possibly embody social, and psychological stages of will which may also injure the bulk of your respiratory organs as an end result of Tar constructing up in your lungs and reason lung issues. two Many men and women around the world develop tobacco and their rectangular measure 4.2 million acres of tobacco rectangular measure adults around the world. Most people grow tobacco globally and use it in their own totally one-of-a-kind methods like smoking it, chewing it, and sniffing it. Smoking tobacco, that tobacco is taken into account a chemical documented as “nicotine” is correctly used, due to the fact if it is abused like whatever else it could have some devastating/harmful effects on your lungs.

Alkaloid is some other chemical that forms in your lungs brought on through smoking cigarettes and is now not healthy for your lungs if your lungs are no longer healthy then you can’t breathe correctly and you grow to be unhealthy or even in the hospital.

People smoke for brilliant motives like they desire to provide an experience of being well, to raise their mood, and to enhance transient time period recognition and memory. Until recently, smoking used to be the notion of trustworthy behavior, and there have been numerous commercials for smoking in newspapers, television, and alternative mass media. Smoking is by far the foremost fitness risk, however, withal groups of people supplying one-of-a-kind motives for smoking most of these justifications are perhaps no longer terribly reasonable.

“Smoking regularly starts at a young age because of the very fact that young adults think that if they begin smoking they shall be viewed as mature, but they’re wrong and instead inflicting/encouraging serious hazard for themselves. Smoking by means of numerous is used to relax, but it comes with higher fitness hazards for unfavorable your brain. “Smoking may want to be a terribly hazardous addiction for that motive it needs to be given up with the aid of victimization individuals, people who smoke don’t hazard their lives then again the lives of an alternative that inhale the smoke (Greaves, 2002)”.

Harmful Effects of Smoking

“Smoking consequences vary from a persona to a distinct character relying upon publicity to chemical compounds of the roll of tobacco. Smoking is not longer myself public health issue, however, it conjointly has outstanding financial value on the nations”. “Until we have a tendency to cease smoking, additional corporations of human beings are going to be habitual, larger companies of humans can get sick, extra families are going to be desolated by way of victimization loss of idolized ones, carry wonderful damage to the clinical laptop of the nations”. (Why Smoking Is Bad For You)

“Harm of smoking on the physique of a character is big, and smoking should be illegal from all public places”. “Smoking will effortlessly build a physique vulnerable lungs in people, and cause a gradual and regular death”. “There is a high correlation related to smoking and deaths, for things inside the U.S., there had been involving 443,000 deaths via smoking”, which is related to one in 5 loss of life each year. “It is moreover believed that each yr additional deaths show up because of smoking compared to mix the deaths by using the technique of Human immunological disorder Virus (HIV), alcohol, suicides, amerciable deaths, and automobile injuries”. Because of smoking “ninety percent of all carcinogens with men and eighty percent of all respiratory organ cancer deaths with women”. “It’s conjointly calculable that ninety percent of all deaths via the approach of the continual preventative respiratory original -ments is added on through victimization of smoking”.

The human physique is especially responsible for the unsafe outcomes of smoking, and it will harm your heart, lungs, blood circulation, bones, stomach, mouth, eyes, skin, duplicate, and fertility. Smoking has an impact on the heart and respiratory organs and exceptionally in a terribly very serious manner, simply in case of heart alkaloid loud raises blood strain and blood receives clots simply.

“Carbon dioxide raids the blood of kind B and causes the development of sterol deposits in artery walls”. “In the case of lung smoking explanations persistent preventative respiratory organ disease (COPD) that is a crew of illness that has wheezy respiratory disorder and emphysema”. Chronic preventative respiratory organ complaint (COPD) rectangular measure documented as a silent killer disease.

“Most people who smoke don’t be aware of that they’re bothered by way of it till it’s too late to distribute them”. “There is now not any remedy for such reasonable diseases and almost fifteen percent of people who smoke improve chronic preventative respiratory organ diseases (COPD)”. Can also purpose harm to the blood circulation that begins in the veins and then the arteries get exhausting, narrow, and in addition, get lined through fats deposits. This may want then result in problems like bloodless skin, ulcers, cramps, aches, and blockages in veins which would possibly motivate a stroke and heart failure.

Smoking makes bones vulnerable and breakable, and feminine wish to use warnings as a result of their being large reputedly to suffer with the help of pathology than non-smokers. Smoking will damage the abdomen, eyes, and skin. abdomen damage will have an impact on every vital organ inside the body, and expand the hazard of abdomen cancer. There rectangular measure of even extra likelihood for eyes like eye illnesses concerning Graves’ ophthalmopathy, eye disorder, and cataracts. The worst aspect which may be induced by way of smoking is inflicting an eternal vision defect. Smoking increases the number of most cancers cells in the skin. This may want to suggest that pores and pores and skin commence to age extra rapidly and growing you appear to be boring and gray. Smoking’s effect on reproduction and fertility rectangular measure terribly serious. Smoking will extend the dangers of feebleness and may damage the gamete by reducing gamete reliance on and casing gonads in most cancers “Team, 2009”.

Everybody is alert to the dangers of smoking however nobody cares to stop it, and this attitude toward smoking ought to be modified. Smoking is the vilest dependency of concerning 2 billion that rectangular measure smitten with aid of smoking. It’s not obtained for smokers and also society. Smoking has had a sway on society’s past fitness and sickness. Smoking chronically influences the cash assets of smokers mainly once people have limited resources. “For occasion in European state economically risky households pay regarding a pair of .5 percent of earnings on cigarettes per week. Some human beings agree that the economic burden of smoking exceeds one share of European GDP”.

Society wishes to pay the price of smoking via suggests that of morbidity and mortality. The direct cost of smoking is said to be health care and the indirect rate is stated to be the loss of human capital because of untimely deaths, productivity losses, and unpaid financial gain taxes. “Currently estimate the whole smoking attribute fee of 2 leading corporations of smoking-related illnesses in (COPD) and ailment (CVD), the amount between one hundred and 5 to 130.31 billion U.S. dollars”. “In Australia smoking internet social fee is between a pair of 1 to 3.4% of their value”, (Kaiser S, 2009).

Smoking’s effect on young people and teens square measure intense. Smoking passively will impair a child’s capability in arithmetic and reading through victimization main researchers claims. The study of smoking surroundings is crucial, and one such locate out about indicates that if youngsters are uncovered to smoke at a young age their improvement will be negatively affected. The journal of Environmental Health views stays that exposure to smoking reception results in nicotine poisoning in kids. Nicotine is common in children via the publicity of second-hand smoke. Exposure to smoking at home to young adults is vital to bother the government has to get to very less expensive to hold up the children’s protected “Society Guardian, 2005”. Juvenile human beings start to smoke at a terribly younger age, and as an end result, it constructed a basis of diseases in their body. adolescents at giant count on smoking as based aspect and acquire worried about smoking. “Children and teens are setting up blocks of our society but if they’re in covered surroundings then society will be extra than likely to remain healthy. The implication of life is misplaced because of smoking, and as an end result the traditional person loses ten to fifteen minutes of gorgeous lifestyles every time smoking”.

Smoking is the biggest preventable motive of unwanted deaths around the world. Smoking motive over twenty 5 illnesses and most of them square measure life discouraging, and strappingly suspected to relate to smoking. “Average smoking reduces the complete life expectancy to six years, serious smoking reduces the entire existence expectancy to eight years. what is more, smoking reduces the quantity of sickness-free existence with the help of 5 years of Stop smoking at the age of forty and expands your life expectancy to four 6 years Baijal, 2010”.

Over the years smoking has mounted harm to building our society and one such damage is at a psychological level. Smoking looks to require management of our minds and build the U.S.A. to do illogical things. Some long-lasting smoking corporations of a human rectangular measure increasingly turn into a danger for our families and a burden on society. the established public who smoke for a length of younger age, and this outcome in hazard taking or war later in their lives. Presence of immoderate reputation model and peer conjointly outcomes in the encouragement of smoking. Smokers say they smoke to alleviate the sensation of stress however honestly they want higher-stress diplomas than non-smokers.

Smokers Profile

“Psychologists have developed a profile for smokers, and sociableness is attributed to a smoker at some point which they want an inclination to be impulsive, sociable, and excitement-seeking men and ladies. Psychologists in addition settle for as actual that they are with temperament and social elements causes of smoking or “feening”. Currently, it is the duty of authorities around the world to require action against the illegal smoking of minors and ban it from public places which additionally consist including colleges, etc. Governments around the world have to want to supply quitting treatments for smoking in different there for so we will eradicate the illnesses from our society.

Conclusion

In conclusion, smoking is not on my own unsafe to you but to all the groups of human beings around you. those who smoke have extended their risk of acquiring coronary heart disease and carcinoma.

Smoking is horrific dependence and before long, we want to obviate smoking due to the fact it’s higher for human beings around the U.S.A individuals. So we ought to restrict the amount of tobacco that people smoke in our society due to the fact of the very truth of it destroys our society from its core. It’s an absolute necessity to totally acknowledge the harms of smoking and cease it from taking the lives of virtuous individuals. People shouldn’t have to be stopped by using victimization of smoking to keep away from financial losses and the dangerous effects on health. Smoking powerfully contributes to steadiness in some men and girls however now not for most humans need it they simply desire it. “We have a tendency to acknowledge nearly each and every and each disease that is joined to smoking and inflicting the deaths therefore it’s time to mention no to harmful effects of smoking”.

Mobile Applications to Quit Smoking

It is a proven fact that smoking cigarettes is a deadly habit (Bonnie, Stratton, & Wallace, 2007). There are various ways for a cigarette smoke to destroy the lives of people (Gupta, 1993). This habit can lead to cancer, pre-cancerous lesions and abnormalities can also develop in the oral cavity (Mason, 2004). As a result it can cause great pain and death. Addiction to nicotine can lead to premature death. However, prior to death, the person can lead an unproductive life because of numerous health problems associated to smoking such as weakened lungs, bad breath, stained fingers, discoloration in lips and tongue. It is therefore important to stop smoking preserve quality of life and to prevent premature death. Teenagers must quit the habit and one strategy is to use computer applications (“apps”) that can be loaded into mobile phones.

Literature Review

A nicotine addict will attest that once the habit has taken hold of their lives it is almost impossible to quit. Smokers will also confirm that they are aware of the horror stories and had seen the graphic images of diseased bodies but all these things are powerless when it comes to their desire to quit the habit. Nicotine addicts will also attest that they desperately wanted to change their lifestyle in terms of the use of cigarettes but for many of them there seems to be no hope. According to one report there was an increased number of smokers who expressed the desire to quit, however, the actual number of people who were able to quit the habit is less than five percent (Rabinoff, 2006). A critical insight that can be gleaned from the said report is that one of the major factors linked to failure is the fact that smokers were unable to quit the habit on their own without outside help (Rabinoff, 2006).

One possible solution is to provide nicotine supplements. But there is no need to elaborate the fact that nicotine supplements is not enough to break the habit (Wilson & Kolander, 2005). Another possible solution is the use of medication. However, there are studies that underscore the fact that many smokers will not be able to quit smoking with the help of medication alone (Wilson & Kolander, 2005)

At Kaiser Permanente an institution established to cater to nicotine addicts, it was discovered that one year cessation rates was significantly increased to a rate of 40% when medication and classes were combined to help them (Rabinoff, 2006). These findings highlight the fact that smokers need assistance when it comes to their habit. No man is an island when it comes to addiction-related behaviour but the main problem right now is the effective delivery of smoking cessation strategies and to develop those that can significantly increase the success rates of participants and the smoking cessation program.

An information package delivered to the mobile phone can only deal with one aspect of the problem. It is important to point out that a dose of nicotine creates a rewarding effect that explains the addiction to cigarettes (West & Hardy, 2005). In other words habit has altered the way a person feels. There is now a psychological element brought about by the habit. The mind can also establish an associative link “between the activity of smoking, the sensory aspect of smoking a cigarette and the rewarding effect of nicotine (West & Hardy, 2005, p.185). It is not enough to bombard the target client with information about the hazards of smoking. It is also imperative to deal with the other social factors involve in smoking cigarettes and nicotine addiction.

Smoking cessation experts can greatly benefit from the field of psychology such as behaviourism. This scientific field provides crucial information when it comes to conditioning techniques that can be used to alter behaviour. One insight that can be gleaned from this field is the realisation that “In situations where an immediate response is required, practice situations are repeatedly endlessly so that the soldier, fire-fighter or airline pilot will make the correct, possibly life-saving response in a given situation” (Pritchard, 2009, p.5). Therefore, it is critical to develop cessation programs that enable the target client to repeat a particular action and therefore develop a habit that can counter another automatic reaction to a given stimuli. For example, there is a psychological effect when an addict holds a cigarette in his hand.

Another phenomenon to consider is the learning process or how a person acquires skills to perform tasks or solve problems (Pritchard, 2009, p.5). Behaviourism can help explain why a person reacts to a particular stimulus (Pritchard, 2009, p.5). Behaviourism can be used as part of the building blocks for the creation of an effective cessation program.

It can be argued that the best strategy for teenagers is to develop computer applications that can help them overcome the habit. These are potential benefits: “new technologies will rescue stretched health service budgets, reach under-served populations, save patients time and money, help in the training of health professionals, democratise access to knowledge and thereby produce patients who are better informed about their conditions … and consequently, place fewer demands on health services” (Gatrell, 2005, p.181). In other words there is now a way to access information without the need to go to a clinic or hospital. There is now a way to monitor the progress of a patient without forcing the person to visit the physician.

Overall Design and User Experience

Quitter is free iPhone app that can help teenagers quit smoking (Bell, 2011, p.1). The mobile phone application was designed around the idea of financial incentive. In other words teenagers will stop smoking the moment they realize that they spend a great deal of money in order to sustain a very costly habit. It is a simple mobile phone application and its primary function is to inform the user how many days had passed without the use of a cigarette (Bell, 2011, p.1). At the same time the software informs the user the amount of money that was saved. The incentive comes in the form of statistical figures on the amount of money that was saved. The user can see the amount increase and it is a great motivator that once the urge is suppressed the amount of money that can be saved also increases. The only problem is that it may not be an effective tool for teenagers that do not care about the money they spend for their habit. Furthermore, although the app is free it can only be used in an iPhone.

Another important mobile phone application is the MyQuit Coach and it was created for the iPhone platform. The said mobile phone application creates a personalized plan that can help the teenager to quit smoking (Bell, 2011, p.1). The great thing about this software is that it was created with the help of a physician. The app can be used to motivate the person to quit smoking immediately and drop the habit without delay. But for a more realistic approach the software can be used to plan for a strategy to gradually decrease the consumption of cigarettes. The MyQuit Coach provides progress charts that can help the user visualize his or her progress. In addition, the user also receives inspirational photos and motivational tips (Bell, 2011, p.1). The only problem here is that the app can only be used in an iPhone and not in any other platform.

MyQuit Coach for iPhone users (Bell, 2011).
Fig. 1. MyQuit Coach for iPhone users (Bell, 2011).

Another important application is Quit. According to the developers it is a widget application that can help teenagers to gradually overcome the smoking habit (Google Play, 2012, p.1). It is a highly interactive app that creates the feeling of having someone watching or assisting the person with the habit. There is an intuitive graphical interface that enables the user to input information with regards to urge and stress levels. At the same time there is a feature wherein the app asks the user if he or she can wait for 1 hour before lighting another cigarette. The best thing about this app is that it can be used in almost any type of Smartphone.

Benefits for Users

The beauty of the MyQuit Coach is that it can provide the user a progress chart to monitor the reduction rate in the number of cigarettes consumed on a daily or weekly basis. It can easily inspire the user because there is a visual representation of the effort put into the struggle to quit smoking. It is a major advantage compared to the personal attempt to stop smoking without the help of tools. If there is nothing that can force the user to be accountable for his or her actions then the urge to quit may not be as strong.

The importance of the Quitter app is that it is simple to use and install. It does not cost anything. Therefore, it can easily encourage first time users to try this app. The easy installation and the easy instructions can motivate the teenager to begin the process. It is also a great motivator because it provides a visual representation of the amount of money that can be saved when a teenager refrains from using cigarettes.

The great advantage of the Quit app is that it is highly interactive. Consider the psychological impact of the feature that asks the user if he or she can control the urge not to smoke for another hour. It is like having a physician nearby. It is like having a friend that helps the person deal with the struggle of smoking cigarettes. More importantly, the moment the teenager can control the urge for an hour it creates a psychological boost that the smoking habit can be defeated.

If one will create a generalized opinion on the computer applications that are available in the market one can conclude that information and communication technology can be used to eradicate the limitations that hampered the capability of physicians and patients to interact. There is no more problem with time constraints because there is no need to travel from home to a health care facility. There is no need for the physician to be in a particular place just to check the improvements or decline in health of the patient. The physician can use mobile technologies to talk as if it was done in a face-to-face manner.

User Safety

There are no pitfalls or dangers that can be associated with the use of computer applications. These software applications can be compared to mobile phone games. There is a big difference between a mobile phone application and other strategies that entails the use of equipment and requires the user to perform real tasks. In this case, the user simply uses his or her hands or fingers to operate a mobile phone. There are no inherent risks to the users. The mobile applications analyzed in the previous sections are safe to use.

Mobile phone applications are important tools in the struggle against the smoking habit. It costs very little to install and use. There is no need to learn a particular skill to use it. The user is faced with a highly-intuitive computer program that can easily gather personal information at the touch of a button. Therefore, it is easy to use without the need to go out of the home and talk to another person. There is no safety issue with the use of mobile phone applications especially when one considers the fact that the user spends a few minutes on the mobile phone in order to interact with the said computer application.

Conclusion

The harmful effects of nicotine addiction through the constant use of cigarettes have created a health problem in many parts of the world. Nevertheless, information regarding death and devastating health effects is not enough to compel people to break the habit. It is important to consider the use of information and communication technology to enhance current smoking cessation programs. An example is the development of interactive programs that force the individual to focus on the apps and distract the mind in order to break the associative link between cigarettes and the feeling of reward from a puff of smoke.

References

Bell, K 2011, , Web.

Bonnie, R., Stratton, K, & Wallace, R 2007, Ending the tobacco problem: a blueprint for the nation. Washington, D.C.The National Academic Press.

Gatrell, A 2005, Mobilities and health, Ashgate Publishing, United Kingdom.

Google Play, 2012, Quit smoking, Web.

Gupta, P 1993, Control of tobacco-related cancers and other diseases. Oxford University Press, United Kingdom.

Mason, J 2004, Concepts in dental public health, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Maryland.

Pritchard, A 2009, Ways of learning: learning theories and learning styles in the classroom, Routledge, United Kingdom.

Rabinoff, M 2006, Ending the tobacco holocaust: how the tobacco industry affects our health, Elite Books, California.

West, R., & Hardy, A 2005, Theory of addiction, Wiley & Sons, New Jersey.

Wilson, R., &Kolander, C 2005, Drug abuse prevention. Jones & Bartlett Learning, New Jersey.

Trends in Smoking Prevalence by Race/Ethnicity

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), smoking is a leading cause of death and related disabilities than any single disease worldwide. It is estimated that about five million deaths occur annually as a result of smoking (Fagan & Fernander, 2007).

In the United States, the use of tobacco has been identified as being one of the most avoidable causes of death with research estimates pointing out that over 400,000 Americans succumb to tobacco-related illnesses annually (Davis, Hartman & Gibson, 2008). The diseases associated with tobacco smoking include; cancer, heart attacks, and strokes.

Recent research findings reveal that approximately 25.9 million men and about 22.8 million women in the U.S are daily smokers. All these smokers are vulnerable to heart attack and stroke. Among the young people, it is estimated that about 4 million teenagers in American aged between 12 and 17 are daily smokers. There are various factors that determine the prevalence rates and trends of smoking in America, for instance educational levels and race/ethnicity.

In general, smoking prevalence is the highest among people living below the poverty level since they constitute 33.3 % and those with less years of education (37.4%) (Owing, 2005). The research paper seeks to explore the new trend in research on smoking behavior by race/ethnicity and gender over the period 1992 to 2003. It will then explain the impact of the trend on research in the field of psychology.

Many researchers have made attempts to explore the various disparities that may exist as far as smoking is concerned. Davis et al. (2008) conducted a research to investigate the current smoking trends and prevalence rates by race/ethnicity as well as gender. They evaluated the statistics for the period 1992 to 2003. Notably, the researchers employed the use of Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (TUP-CPS).

Aware of the challenges that researchers have faced when investigating smoking among the small race/ethnicity groupings, Davis et al. used a significant sample size each year in order to enhance the accuracy and reliability of the research findings. In their article, the researchers provide the most recent smoking trends as well as the occurrence rates for Hispanics and four non-Hispanic races; the Whites, Blacks, Asian and Pacific Islanders (API), and American Indian and Alaskan Natives (AIAN).

A number of national institutes in the U.S have strived to minimize the existing health disparities especially among the different races/ethnicities found in the American population (Fagan & Fernander, 2007). These groups have manifested significant differences when it comes to exposure and subsequent consequences of tobacco related health disparities (TRHD).

The article discusses the current smoking trends by race/ethnicity as one of the key aspects of TRHD in the United States of America. Their main objective for carrying out the research was to find out whether the prevalence rates and trends were on the increase or decrease over the past few years (Davis et al., 2008).

Very resourceful information on the smoking trends of adult Americans over several decades can be found from a number of past national surveys, particularly among the different racial groupings. With an aim of studying the current trends in the smoking disparity, the authors of the article compared the annual prevalence rates among the non-Hispanic AIANs and non-Hispanic Whites. Adjustments were made for socio-economic status (SES).

The past study findings revealed that the non-Hispanic AIAN had the highest current smoking prevalence rates for both males and females. However, the same group was found to have the most significant decrease in the rates of smoking for both genders. If this trend takes the same regression, according to Davis et al. (2008), the disparities between this group and the rest will be negligible.

Important decreases in the prevalence rates as well as trends were recorded over the period under investigation for both race/ethnicity and gender apart from the Asian and Pacific Islanders females. In general, the researchers concluded that socio-economic status plays a central role in determining the current smoking prevalence rates as well as the trends.

It is evident that the above research findings are significantly different from prior study outcomes. Due to the fact that the analysis technique used by Davis et al. (2008) was limited to two approaches (range and the slope approximations), further research ought to explore the possibility of arriving at the same conclusions using other statistical techniques and analyses proposed by former researchers.

Furthermore, future studies should investigate whether the decrease in disparity is achieved for other TRHD dimensions like; the amount of tobacco smoked, the age of commencing smoking, and the rates of quit among smokers. The research paper used the current smoking prevalence rates for its analysis.

It can also be realized that most research findings in this field of psychology relies on the reliability of the race/bridging method used since it has the most significant impact on the current smoking rates of prevalence for dominant respondents from a given race, for instance the AIAN in the study by Davis et al. (2008).

In general, the findings present a great challenge for future researchers since they have to go beyond the conventional ways of conducting psychological researches.

The research paper has discussed the new trend in research on the prevalence rates of smoking among the population racial/ethnicity groups and gender for the 1992 and 2003 time frame. A summary of the article by Davis et al. (2008) has been presented as well as its impact on the field of psychological research. If the broad concept of smoking is to be fully understood, more detailed and specific studies must be carried out.

References

Davis, W. W., Hartman, A. M. & Gibson, J. T. (2008). ‘Trends in smoking prevalence by race/ethnicity.’ Statistical Research and Applications. National Cancer Institute.

Fagan, P. & Fernander, A. (2007). Identifying health disparities among smokers. Addiction, 103(3), 6-28

Owing, J. H. (2005). Trends and prevalence rates in smoking and health research. Nova Plc.

Smoking and Adolescents

Introduction

Background motivation

The rate of Smoking in adolescents has been on the increase in the recent past with children as young as 10 years smoking up to a pack a day. Even though there have been extensive campaigns to deter children from smoking through the media and formulation of regulations, smoking among adolescents has been steadily rising.

Furthermore, the risks associatedwith smoking such as cancerand heart disease bear a heavy burden to the families of affected children and the society. The healthcare costs involved in managing such conditions is so high necessitating preventive rather than curative measures hence the need to identify determinants of smoking habits in adolescents (Barnett, Gauvin, Lambert, O’Loughlin, Paradis & McGrath, 2007).

Legislation plays a major role in controlling the habit of smoking among adolescents. Countries that have legislation against sale and distribution of tobacco and its products have lower rates of smoking among adolescents. Legislation is a crucial deterrent to errant behaviours such as smoking and aims at safeguarding minors from influences beyond their control.

Legislation that works involves policies that affect all spheres of the society, starting from home to the school environment and to the work place. Countries like Australia that have among the world’s lowest incidence have put in place proper legislation that prohibit tobacco shops from selling cigarettes and other tobacco products to minors and teens (Aveyard, Markham& Lancashire,2004).

To reduce incidences of smoking, some countries have raised the age permissible for smoking from 16 years to 18 years in the hope that the raised age will reduce the number of adolescents accessing tobacco hence in turn reducing the number of smoking adolescents. Proper legislation may go along way in reducing the rate of smoking in adolescents.

Objective

To investigate the relationship between smoking culture in adolescents and current legislation

Scope of Research

The research will entail review of existing legislation on smoking especially that affecting individuals below the age of 18 years. This will involve reviewing of legislature in different states across the country that is targeted in curbing smoking in adolescents.

Literature Review

Previous research undertaken has clearly elaborated the problem of smoking among adolescents both in school and out of it. One such study explored the association between smoking behaviour among secondary school children and smoking policies in their respective schools.

It was observed that policies on smoking had a big impact on the number of smoking adolescents. In those schools that had no policy prohibiting smoking recorded higher numbers of smoking adolescents. Furthermore, selective application of the law was shown not to have a greater deterrent effect when it came to smoking in adolescents.

Adolescents who have at least one of the parents or siblings who smoke have been shown to be more likely t smoke when compared to those that do not have. In addition, the research shows that blanket legislation that declares places frequented by adolescents such as schools to be no tobacco zones plays a critical role in reducing the rate of smoking among teens. Since most adolescents encounter smoking at school such laws are effective in controlling smoking in adolescents.

Research Publication

Critique of data collection

The authors of the research carried out data collection from previous survey dubbed the Quebec Child and Adolescent Health and Social Survey. From this data, they set out to obtain the independent and dependent variables. Data collected was between January and May of 1999.

The data was collected by distributing questionnaires through the randomly selected school-going children in three different provinces in Canada. The questionnaires had questions that were aimed at identifying the factors that contribute to smoking among adolescents. In addition, school principals of the respective institutions and parents of the adolescents participating in the study were issued with questionnaires with well-structuredqueries aimed at identifying determinants of smoking among teens.

The method of data collection has limitations since it is subject to bias since adolescents who smoke may give false information in the fear of reprisals from their guardians or parents. In addition, self reported statements may be false since those adolescents who do not smoke daily may not accurately remember the number of days they smoked in a particular month and this decreases the validity of the result. Use of questionnaires is subject to correct understanding of the standardized questions by the correspondents.

Misinterpretation of the questions may result in false information, which eventually affects the credibility of the study.Consequently, fearing repercussions, the students may not be too willing to divulge information they deem might land them into trouble or they think is of no value to them whatsoever. To achieve better results the adolescents should be taken through a session that explains the importance of giving correct information and the benefit of such information to the adolescent.

Critique of methodology

After collection of the data, the authors identified the dependent and independent variables. This was achieved by identifying what they called “Student-Level Variables” and “School-Level Variables”. Student level variables entailed grouping students into those who smoked daily and those who did not for the past 30 days. Furthermore, they grouped the students with regard to the smoking statuses of their siblings and parents.

School level variables entailed grouping schools as per their policies on smoking. This involved classifying schools according to polices governing indoor and outdoor, teacher and student smoking habits. Furthermore, classification of schools involved location of the school in terms of either being an urban or a rural school. The average income of families within the schools under study was also factored.

The authors of the study do not offer a clear link between income and rate of smoking among adolescents. Furthermore, the relationship between the location of the schools under study and smoking was not clearly defined. Some P values were greater than 0.05 and as such those results were not statistically significant and should not have been used in the study.

However, the authors employed varied statistical manipulations to relate causal factors that influence the smoking culture in adolescents. They employed multilevelModelling to link policies in different schools to their smoking habits. Multilevel analysis was carried out to include all affected parties in the study and compound a common factor that promoted smoking among adolescents.

Critique of result

The authors clearly represent their results through well-labelledtables with both independent and dependent variables identified. The results show that more schools permit the habit of outdoor smoking, a factor that is implicating in promoting smoking among adolescents.

Through the null model, the authors obtained results that were statistically significant especially in linking confounding factors such as the relationship between teacher and student smoking ratesin various schools. Age and sex specific models formulated and related to the various policies in different schools. Other school-level correlates were included in the models to generate multilevel correlates that would accurately identify the determinants of smoking in adolescents in relation to specific schools policies.

Reasons Justifying Further Research

Smoking has become a major killer in the recent past. Adolescent smoking has been on a steady increase in the recent past. To reduce smoking in adolescents proper policies need to be put in place to prevent the access, use and distribution of tobacco and tobacco related products to adolescents.

This study aims at reviewing all legislation directed at reducing rates of adolescent smoking in all places that adolescents are likely to encounter tobacco products. The study will not be confined to schools alone but it will include any social and public places that adolescents visit and smoke. Furthermore, most studies are single-centre studies; this study will be multicentre to map out the determinants of adolescent smoking and respective legislation loopholes that result in such trends (Pokorny, Jason& Schoeny, 2004).

New Research

Data collection

Data collection for this will entail use of two modes to ensure all determinants are identified. These modes are the face-to-face data collection and the self-administered questionnaire (SAQ). Participants will be sourced from representative social avenues such as basketball courts, schools and churches. Further sourcing will be carried out for adolescents who are home-schooled.

The participants will be engaged in face-to-face sessions with the researchers and thereafter questionnaires with well-structured queries will be given out to all the participants who meet the inclusion criteria. Independent and dependent variables will be identified and fed into models that will encompass factors such as age, sex, background, and race of the participants. Cost effective measures will be put in place during data collection to ensure only relevant data is collected.

Data organization

Collected data will be organized basing on the factors that affect the variables under study. The data will be arranged in tables with the rows containing variables while the variables will be placed in columns. The independent variables will come first. In cases where spreadsheets will be utilized, freeze panes will be used in data organization.

Relational computerized database will be created to mapout determinant versus policy relationship. This will allow flexibility in access of the data during analysis. Furthermore, access of data will be fast and allows for data validation before entry to maintain the validity of the study. In addition, primary and foreign keys will be employed in data organization. Percentiles, ratios and other correlative modes will be employed in display of collected data.

Data summary

Data summary will entail use of collected data and proper arrangement for effective communication of the message. Measures of central tendencies, statistical dispersions, shapes, and statistical tendency will be used in summarizing the data. Furthermore, analysis of variance will be used in special cases in summarizing data.

Results

Data analysis

Data analysis is crucial in arrivingat conclusions. Analysis of data will be based on the type of data: Whether the data is discrete or continuous. The initial analysis will entail use of defined analytical techniques such asGraphical techniques for scatter plots, Univariate analysis, and bivariate associations for correlations of collected data.

Variables will be analysed based on their types. Nominal variables will be taken through process of associations and exact counts while continuous variables will undergo Stem-and-leaf displays (Gray, Williamson& Karp, 2007).

Furthermore, the data will be subjected to statistical analyses. Statistical analysis entails methods designed to analyse data into relevant useful results. General linear method utilizes several statistical methods such as ANOVA in relating predictors of occurrence to the continuous variables. Methods such as the Item response theory will be used in differentiating latent variables from a series of binary ones. Statistical software will be used in analysing data. This includes the SPSS and SAS software.

Review of results

The obtained results will be published in reputable journals to be reviewedby peers and appropriate recommendations carried out. Furthermore, before publication the results will undergo validation to ensure the study followed laid down procedures in carrying out the research. The results will be presented in relevant forums to stakeholders.

Conclusion

Identification of determinants of smoking among adolescents is crucial in formulating legislation aimed at curbing the access of tobacco. Review of the effectiveness of existing legislation will allow for initiation of changes and formulation new laws aimed at safeguarding adolescents from accessing and using tobacco. Legislation and policies should not only be instituted to cater for smoking in public places but also in homes.

This will ensure decreased exposure of adolescents to smoking resulting in low smoking rates among adolescents. Overall, this will result in decreased costs involved in treatment of tobacco related illnesses and as such lifting the burden from the taxpayer.Anti-Smoking legislation will go along way in ensuring that everybody in the society especially teenagers are safeguarded from the deleterious effects of smoking and they have a chance to enjoy a smoke-free environment for better lives.

References

Aveyard, P., Markham, W., & Lancashire, E. (2004). The influence of school culture on smoking among pupils. Journal of Social Science and Medicine, 58(9), 1767-1780.

Barnett, T., Gauvin, L., Lambert, M., O’Loughlin, J., Paradis, G., &McGrath, J. (2007).

The influence of school smoking policies on student tobacco use. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescents, 161(9), 1-10.

Gray, S., Williamson, J., &Karp, D. (2007). The Research imagination: An introduction to qualitative and quantitative methods. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Pokorny, B., Jason, A., & Schoeny, E. (2004). Current smoking among young adolescents: Assessing school based contextual norms. Journal of Tobacco Control, 13(3), 301-307.

Smoking Should Be Banned Internationally

Literature Review

Many types of research and investigations prove the harmful influence of smoking. They state that it is one of the most dangerous habits that destroy people’s health. It is estimated that smoking amounts to $27.3 billion in 1976, including $8.2 billion for health care costs (Max, 2001). One of every five deaths in the USA is related to smoking (Chew, 2017). Smokers die from cancer, pneumonia, bronchitis, and other illnesses that result from the inhaling of numerous harmful substances found in smoke.

Chemicals and nicotine that cigarette smoke contains destroy lungs, blood vessels, and other important organs that guarantee the efficient functioning of an individual, and smoking cessation mitigates breathing problems (Willemse, Postma, Timens, & Ten Hacken, 2004). Less than six percent of smokers are able to quit the bad habit (Cinciripini, Wetter, & McClure, 1997). In fact, the number of smokers who manage to quit the bad habit clearly indicates that nicotine addiction presents a problem that should be addressed based on facts despite the diversity of opinions concerning the topic.

Smoking is a great burden for society because it costs a lot and deprives society of certain income. Financial reports indicate that $193 billion is spent annually in the USA because of the spread of this habit (“Cost of smoking,” n.d.). The bigger part of this sum is spent on smoking-related health care. Moreover, statistical data also show that a common household where at least one member smokes devotes a significant part of income to cigarettes (“Cost of smoking,” n.d.).

Manufacturing cigarettes also costs a lot. In the modern world, the tobacco industry has high revenues and income that could have been spent to develop other important spheres. I have reviewed several credible sources and statistics related to the issue of smoking and its costs. To me, there are better ways to spend this money and help people by promoting their health.

Smoking should be banned internationally to protect people and countries from its negative impact. Smoking can lead to financial consequences due to the amount spent on healthcare and cigarettes. It affects all systems of organs and decreases the quality of life. The research paper argues that considering numerous health issues caused by smoking, the necessity of smoking bans is supported by public opinion.

Methods

A survey that included ten questions of different types was used. The sample includes thirty participants (primarily non-smokers). The questions refer to the knowledge concerning the consequences of smoking and the opinions on smoking bans.

Results

Modern people are becoming more responsible and conscious when it comes to smoking. 86, 6 % of participants are non-smokers whereas 63, 3 % have a negative opinion about the amount of money spent on cigarettes (“Smoking,” n.d.). 80 % of respondents agree that smoking is among the leading causes of death and 63, 3 % support smoking bans (“Smoking,” n.d.).

Discussion

The literature review indicates that smoking is among the most common causes of death, and public opinion supports this point. Exposure to smoke destroys the lungs and causes cardiovascular issues, and 56,6 % of respondents list lung problems among the key consequences of smoking (“Smoking,” n.d.). Another finding that aligns with the literature review is the negative perception of smoking-related costs. However, half of the respondents support partial smoking bans.

Conclusion

The results support the thesis as more than 60 % of respondents supports smoking bans. The method protects respondents’ anonymity and provides results that are easy to analyze. Regarding limitations, as it follows from heterogeneous answers, some questions could have been understood in different ways. Future research can study the reasons to negate the necessity of smoking bans.

References

Chew, N. (2017). . Web.

Cinciripini, P. M., Wetter, D. W., & McClure, J. B. (1997). Scheduled reduced smoking: Effects on smoking abstinence and potential mechanisms of action. Addictive Behaviors, 22(6), 759-767.

. (n.d.). Web.

Max, W. (2001). The financial impact of smoking on health-related costs: A review of the literature. American Journal of Health Promotion, 15(5), 321-331.

Smoking (n.d.). Web.

Willemse, B. W., Postma, D. S., Timens, W., & Ten Hacken, N. H. (2004). The impact of smoking cessation on respiratory symptoms, lung function, airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation. European Respiratory Journal, 23(3), 464-476.

Smoking Bans: Protecting the Public and the Children of Smokers

Introduction

The article selected for this review is Smoking bans protect both the public and the infants and children of smokers by Lipton et al. that was published in 2018. The work presents arguments for the benefits of smoking bans for the public and children of smokers. Its main points are that smoke-free laws can help people to quit smoking, reduce children’s exposure to smoke, and improve individuals’ and children’s health and poor birth outcomes. The analysis of this article is important because it is crucial to identify whether the authors’ claims are reliable and what factors affect their persuasiveness.

Analysis

Audience

It is possible to say that the authors have written the article aimed at a non-specialist audience. They provide statistical data to support their claims, which can be significant for scholars studying the topic while not using overly complex words and sentence structures. Individuals of all genders, cultures, and nationalities can find the article useful. However, the authors address the data from the US primarily, which means that people not living in the country may not be interested in the information. The article may not be useful for children and young adolescents, as its language is not simplified; the topic the authors present is narrow.

Purpose

The purpose of the article is to show why smoking bans aim at protecting the public and the children of smokers. The work is persuasive because the authors do not present the benefits of alternative viewpoints and present several arguments for their claim. They address the benefits and potential outcomes of smoking bans and the effect of smoke on infant and child health. The article is informative because it presents graphs and statistical data, referring to other authors studying the issue.

Ethos/Credibility

It is possible to say that the article is credible. Its authors are professors from New York University, Bentley University, and San Diego State University; moreover, one of them works at Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on public health. One of the possible biases presented in the article is that the authors do not consider alternative opinions and the possible adverse effects of smoking bans on individuals. However, a multifaceted perspective on the topic balances the article, as authors review existing literature on the issue and do not concentrate on their viewpoint solely.

Logos

The authors’ work is significant, as it presents evidence from national and international studies on smoking bans. Lipton et al. address the percentage of the population affected by smoke-free laws, analyzing the data for more than two decades. The information is well-organized, and the paper is well-structured. The article presents high-quality research, as it combines the data from several studies conducted in different states. The presented work may be considered scholarly because it includes a reference list, provides a graph, and features precise information.

Pathos

From the perspective of pathos, the authors’ narrative can create a strong emotional response among the audience. They discuss the effects of smoking on children and infants, highlighting that the lack of smoking-free laws can result in asthma-related hospitalization and poor birth outcomes (Lipton et al.). At the same time, the narrative is not designed to scare the audience but rather presents the problems individuals can avoid by implementing smoking bans.

Tone

It is possible to say that the tone of the article is primarily informative. Although the authors present arguments for their opinion, they do not use pessimistic or highly negative statements. Instead, they address facts on smoking bans and their effects, along with the impact of smoking in general. The tone of the article can be considered objective, too, as Lipton et al. address the issue without prejudice and base their viewpoints on facts.

Word Choice

The authors utilize formal language; their word choice is appropriate for a scholarly article. They do not include the words that have a medium level of specificity, which means that each reader can understand the meaning of the terms presented. The article presents accurate and strong nouns and verbs while avoiding vagueness; such a word choice helps the authors to be persuasive in their claims.

SLR

The quality of the systematic literature review (SLR) in the article is high. The authors refer to more than fifteen works to support their viewpoint. They address statistical data from various periods, including the 1990s and present time. In addition, Lipton et al. discuss the aspects of the articles they provide, such as sample sizes, inclusion criteria, and findings. Notably, the authors refer to both scholarly articles and the official reports by governmental agencies.

Conclusion

The report shows that the article by Lipton et al. is reliable. It presents statistical data on the issue and supports all claims with evidence. The analysis shows that these factors contribute to the paper’s reliability and persuasiveness. Moreover, the authors use appropriate and not overly complex language, which is beneficial for the audience. Thus, the article is an example of a well-developed and well-structured report on the issue.

Work Cited

Lipton, Brandy, et al. “.” VOX, CERP Policy Portal, 2018.

Dealing With the Increase in the Number of Smokers Between Ages 17 and 45

Smoking is a habit that has been on a rise especially amongst teenagers and young adults. One of the factors that have contributed to a rise in the number of smokers in this age bracket is the popularization that has been created by media advertisements (Ali, 2007; Bonnie, 2007).

In the time starting 1980, the number of cigarette advertisements on both broadcast and print media has gone up, with most presenting smoking as cool. Most cigarette and sheesha advertisements depict the smokers as highly successful individuals, with the men in the advertisements being associated with beautiful women and the women who smoke being regarded as classy. This coolness aspect has particularly led to an increase in the number of teen smokers, most of whom would like to be associated with poplar groups.

Another reason as to why smoking has been on a rising trend is the easy access of cigarettes and tobacco. In some retail outlets, individuals can purchase single sticks of cigarettes, making the product affordable even to individuals who do not work (Bearman, Neckerman and Wright, 2011). Weak by-laws which allow individuals to smoke virtually anywhere also encourage those who have started smoking to keep up the trend.

Smoking affects both the physical and social health of the individual. According to studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 443,000 deaths happening in the United States every year are caused by or are linked to smoking (Brannon, 2009). These are more than the combined deaths caused by Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), drug abuse, alcoholism, road accidents, suicides, and murders (Bosanquet, 2006).

The same source indicates that people who smoke are more predisposed to contracting a number of diseases including coronary heart diseases, stroke, lung cancer and most forms of obstructive lung diseases (Scutchfield and Keck, 2003). As far as the social aspect is concerned, smoking creates a rift between the individual and other members of society who don’t smoke.

For instance, in a home set-up, when a teenager starts smoking, he might have to keep distance from his parents, in order to avoid detection. In order to reduce the prevalence of smoking, there are a number of key measures that can be taken. First is the propagation of messages advocating for social change. Smoking is usually regarded a personal lifestyle choice and for its popularity to decrease society needs to regard is a function of negative character (Bearman, Neckerman and Wright, 2011).

Using television and radio spots, messages of the negative effects on the health of an individual can be conveyed to the general public. People need to be made aware that the portrayal of smoking in commercials as desirable is fundamentally a marketing gimmick that should not be taken at face value. Accessing cigarettes, the popular item that is smoked, should be made difficult, through increasing of prices and making purchase stringent.

Governments can help curb the behavior by increasing the taxes imposed on cigarettes and associated products, as well as increasing the minimum age allowed to cigarette buyers. In most countries, the minimum permitted smoking age is 18 and increasing it to 21 might help reduce the number of young smokers. Finally, by installing special smoking zones in public places, governments can help reduce the popularity of smoking by making it inconvenient for individuals who would wish to smoke constantly.

Reference List

Ali, M. (2007). The Effectiveness of Prices as a Smoking Reduction Mechanism: An Analysis of Adolescent Smoking Behavior. Michigan: Proquest

Bearman,S., Neckerman, K. & Wright, L. (2011). After Tobacco: What Would Happen If Americans Stopped Smoking? Columbia: Columbia University Press

Bonnie, R. (2007). Ending the Tobacco Problem: A Blueprint for the Nation. Washington: National Academies Press

Bosanquet, N. (2006). The Economics of Cancer. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Brannon, L. (2009). Health Psychology: An Introduction to Behavior and Health. Connecticut: Cengage Learning

Scutchfield, D. & Keck, W. (2003). Principles of public health practice. Connecticut: Cengage Learning

Anti-Smoking Campaign in Canada

Introduction

The federal government of Canada has been very aggressive in dealing with the challenge of tobacco smoking in the country. Tobacco use and nicotine addiction have been a major challenge in healthcare management and public administration in Canada.

A section of Canadian citizens are opposed to smoking and feel that the government needs to take stern action on tobacco industry for its role in high nicotine smoking and addiction rates. According to Health Canada, tobacco and nicotine addiction are some of the preventable factors that predispose people to diseases, yet the public administration is doing very little to improve the situation.

Anti-smoking groups in Canada have suggested that the federal government needs to roll out a campaign to demoralize the tobacco industry, as there is an urgent need to reduce the rate at which people are smoking tobacco. However, the biggest challenge lies on the government’s readiness to roll out such a campaign, whether it will be successful, and the necessary legislation for effective implementation.

To achieve success in such a campaign, it is important for the federal government to ensure that both its communication systems and social marketing strategies are effective enough. I believe that the Canada’s federal government is ready to roll out a demoralization campaign, for its tobacco industry.

Discussion

According to Health Canada, reducing the use of tobacco in Canada will lead to healthier people, who will enjoy better quality of life. Tobacco and nicotine addiction is a challenge in Canada, but Health Canada officials believe that the situation is reversible, as quitting the habit does not have a timeline.

The demoralization campaign on the tobacco industry is a good idea, and its success elsewhere provides enough motivation to the government. Demoralization of the tobacco industry has successfully worked in the states of Florida and California in America.

This is not the first attempt that the federal government of Canada intends to make in reducing the prevalence of smoking in the country. Over the last four decades, the government has implemented numerous legislations that have greatly reduced smoking rates. The timing of the demoralization campaign is right, as there is need to improve the health status of people, and empower them economically.

According to government statistics on smoking in Canada, a big percentage of the population belongs to low social and economic classes, and has the highest smoking rates. There is an opposite relationship between education and income, in that people with low education levels are likely to have little income. This has direct impact on the social behaviors they pick, and their ability to manage the effects of those habits.

Therefore, most health complications related to tobacco smoking apply among low-income earners. Economic empowerment would greatly help in reducing the rise in rates of tobacco smoking. A demoralization campaign by the government would help in public education and awareness creation about tobacco, and the effects of nicotine addiction.

Public education and awareness creation will definitely make a difference in smoking rates, as people will become more conscious of both their health and economic prospects. A demoralization campaign will also motivate people to seek more responsibilities in an effort to attain the common good.

Everyone has an ethical duty to ensure the attainment of the common good, by looking out for the welfare of others. Tobacco smoking has effects on both active smokers and the passive smokers. Tobacco smoke contains dangerous chemicals that easily initiate cancer in active and passive smokers.

Effective public administration entails coordination between various government agencies and the private sector. Running a high profile campaign to demoralize tobacco in Canada can result to both legal and public complications. The Canadian federal government says that high rates of smoking in Canada are negatively affecting the national economy and welfare of citizens.

Running a demoralization campaign will lead to complications because of conflicting interests. There is the need to uphold the rule of law, and the economic aspect of having the tobacco industry.

From one perspective, the tobacco industry is boosting the national economy of Canada through tax revenue and job creation for its people, while on the other hand the tobacco industry is affecting the economic potency of most citizens who are slowly getting addicted to the habit of smoking tobacco.

Smoking in public is not a very sociable thing for someone to do, thus the need to improve people relations when in public places or gatherings. The positive aspect of a demoralization campaign on the tobacco industry is that it will make people feel guilty and socially unlikable when they smoke, especially in public.

A demoralization campaign on the tobacco industry in Canada needs to focus on youths aged between 18 years and 35 years. According to statistics by Health Canada, this age group is the most affected in terms of nicotine addiction and health complications. The reason why the campaign needs to focus on this group is that they are at their active stage in life, when they need to use their energy and time to achieve economic empowerment.

Most nicotine addicts in Canada belong to the low economic class, as they tend to miss crucial opportunities in life because of their habit. Although this could be the main target group for the demoralization campaign, it is important for the government also to consider the group that starts smoking at early teenage, albeit the number being very small.

Managing the challenge starting with this group can be an effective long-term strategy, as their peers will have no one to influence them into smoking tobacco. The demoralization campaign would also be very effective if it focused on the role of parents, caregivers, and learning institutions in the fight against increasing rates of tobacco smoking.

The demoralization campaign ought to pass educative messages that create awareness about tobacco and nicotine addiction, as well as messages that discourage people from envying the disastrous habit. People need to learn about various components of nicotine, how they affect the human body and effective ways of detoxification.

Canadian population needs to develop the right attitude about tobacco and nicotine addiction, by understanding the nature of operations in the industry and its products. Campaign messages also need to focus on ways that passive smokers can positively influence their friends into quitting the habit.

Secondary smokers have a crucial role to play in the success of the demoralization campaign. The best time to air, the campaign is during prime time when there are more viewers, as well as during school holidays when most young people spend a lot of free time on various media.

It is important for the federal government to engage other partners in this campaign, as the challenge of nicotine smoking goes beyond public administration.

The government needs to engage the services and resource capacity of non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations. Other essential partners in this campaign are civil society organizations, and peer counselors. These partners would complement the efforts of the government in the campaign, which is mainly policy formulation and implementation.

Conclusion

The demoralization campaign on the tobacco industry is a very good idea by the Canadian federal government. Owing to the fast-rising rates of smoking and nicotine addiction in the country, it is necessary to educate people about the health and legal consequences of engaging in the habit. In addition, it is important to create an impression on people that smoking is not a socially acceptable behavior, especially when done in public.

Demoralization campaigns help in reducing smoking rates by generating guilt among smokers for what they do, especially in public places. Demoralization campaigns ought to be manipulative in nature, and hard-hitting to influence people into reflecting about their habit and making considerations about quitting.

The federal government needs to develop legislations that will regulate the use of nicotine in the country in terms of the age limit for possession of tobacco, and the right places for smoking.

People need to develop an attitude for promoting ethics and the will to attain the common good through their social life. It is the responsibility of everyone in Canada to stop the problem of tobacco and nicotine addiction, by supporting the government in the demoralization campaign.

Smoking in Adolescents: A New Threat to the Society

Abstract

Of the newer concerns about the risks of smoking and the increase in its prevalence, the most disturbing is the increase in the incidences of smoking among the adolescents around the world. While in the past smoking was considered to be a problem for men only, the increased number of women has also started smoking, the consequences to the health and the potential children are increased dramatically. Without realizing the causes of uptake of smoking among the adolescents, it is very difficult to decrease the number of smokers, for smoking is now considered as a coping mechanism in many of the cases. The problems therefore, of addressing the core issues behind taking up of smoking, the motivation of quitting smoking is essential if war against smoke is to be won.

The results of smoking cessation although have improved; still present to us a grim face. Smoking is still prevalent in many parts of the globe, and now includes women and adolescents as well. The health affected is not only of the person who is smoking but also of the person who is in the vicinity of the smoker. Second hand smoking is also a health risk that many people bear out. Other issues include the economical and the financial implications, as well as the social and the psychological issues that are inducing the person in to taking up smoking.

The use of tobacco has been going on since the past 2000 years, however it was in the 1700s that cultivation of tobacco started and became a worldwide trade. Although physicians of the time also pointed to possible harmful effects of smoke, it continued to take place and developed into cigarettes by the 1800s. This form of tobacco came to be the best method of smoking around the world. (The Cancer Council News, 2007)

The tobacco industry continues to provide cigarettes around the world. Although previously, the markets of consideration were America and the British countries, the recent increase in the awareness of the harmful effects of smoke have shifted the companies’ focus to the Asian and the African regions. (The Cancer Council News, 2007) Thanks to the heavy bans imposed on the advertisement of smokes on the television and other such media, the rates of smoking have declined. This is primarily because the tobacco companies used victory symbols, extreme robustness of health and the positive attitudes associated with smoking to make it a successful and impressive advertisement. Banning them took some time, but until then the damage had been done. This is because when people with smoking habit are asked about why they wanted to start smoking in the first place, many of them reply that they did so in order to be cooler, or to be accepted into society.

The health risks that tobacco use poses are very high. Each year there are 1.2 million new reported cases of smoking, of which 1.08 million are attributed to smoking alone. This is because there are estimated 69 carcinogenic substances in cigarette, which are responsible for genetic alternations, leading to the progression of cancer. Researches show that smoking can cause cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus, bladder and kidney, pancreas, stomach, cervix, vulva, penis and anus. The incidences of such cancers in women is so far less than men, but with the increase in the women smokers around the world, the percentages and incidences are bound to rise significantly.(Smoking and Cancer, 2007) Second hand smoking has also been found to be the causative factor of many conditions and diseases. This is the main reason why many areas of the world have banned public smoking. This effort has resulted in two advantages. Firstly, the non smokers are not exposed to the second hand smoke, and secondly, the smokers are less able to motivate the non smokers into taking up smoking.

One of the most disturbing developments in the new trends of smoking is the increase of adolescent smoking, especially the girls. (Senguire and Chalmers, 2000) In women, smoking can lead to many health issues as they enter into the child bearing age. Some of the risks include the development of lung and cervical cancers, respiratory problems, prenatal mortality, and early menopause. The children of these women become exposed to second hand smoke, and suffer the consequences. Current researches show that there are many factors that influence the girls’ decision to take up smoking. When asked in study conducted by Seguire and Chalmers in 2000, the participant girls responded the need to be accepted by their peers and to be popular among the crowd was the most common reason for smoking. Others thought it was a good method to bind and socialize with others, to gain control over one’s life, and to relieve stress. The emotional attachment to the smoking as a means of dealing with problems is perhaps the most negative consequence of taking up smoking. This has led to the inability of the adolescents to face negative events of life and how to tackle them. (Senguire and Chalmers, 2000)

With more efforts being put in research, many factors are coming to light that may effect the children into taking up smoking. For example, the academic orientation or the disposition in a child can be a very strong motivator for taking up smoking. Similarly, contextual and familial factors can also lead to the development of the smoking habit. Boys can also influence their girlfriends to take up smoking as well. Along side, smoking can impose a risk of starting some other drug abuse in such people. Some researchers have even found correlation with the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with the start of smoking. This is because parental support is reduced for children who are naturally impulsive, inattentive and hyperactive in nature. In these circumstances, smoking looks like an easy escape route for the child to tackle the situation. Family issues and the environment of the family, along with relationship with siblings and parents, are the most contributing factor in increasing the risk of smoking among the adolescents. Many studies even show that smoking is used as a stress buster by children, which in turn is a very sensitive and controversial issue. (Chassin, Presson and Sherman, 2005)

All of these factors mentioned above however, are factors that help initiate the smoking behavior. As to what continues it is thought to be caused by other factors. Some of the identified reasons for continued smoking include the pleasure acquired by taste, addiction and habit of smoking, anxiety, stimulation, social rewards and cigarette handling.(Loon et al, 2005) Again there are many factors that can induce the habit of smoking. People with negative childhood events are more prone to taking up smoking. Similarly, people who think they have less control over their emotions think of taking up smoking more often. People with stressful jobs and life patterns, and those who started smoking at younger ages are more likely to continue smoking once initiated. (Loon et al, 2005)

Smoking becomes such an integrated part of the life of the smokers that quitting it becomes a test of will for such people. People consider quitting of smoking as an end of the bonding vehicle, and loss of friendship with ones who continue to smoke. It becomes difficult for such subjects to carry out any form of socialization and feel that they depend upon cigarettes to gain social standing. Quitting smoking also becomes an emotional problem of gaining self control, loss of comfort measure and the challenge of creating new coping skills which may not have been developed in the first place. The physical changes of withdrawal effect also concern these smokers. So that smoking becomes a mental and physical challenge of reshaping one’s own approach to life. In such cases, it is not hard to see that such cases may require some form of psychological help in order to get over the smoking habit. (Seguire and Chalmers, 2000)

Current statistics reveal that contrary to the higher class societies which used to smoke, it is the middle class and the lower class societies that are smoking more. Some call it even an issue of social injustice, which may not be so wrong if we consider the factors that promote smoking. In many of these classes, the full access to the best services available, whether in health or education etc. are not available. These negative factors of the classes are being used or rather exploited by the various tobacco companies. Now, tobacco companies are working towards increasing smoking in low classes because of their decreased knowledge about the negative effects of smoking. Methods of advertisement have shifted to local magazines and other entertainment areas, in face of the bans that tobacco companies face on bill boarding or advertising on the media. (Healton and Nelson, 2004)

It is not difficult to see from the above mentioned examples just how serious an issue smoking is in the societal context. It is more of a concern in the underdeveloped countries, where there is already a lack of understanding about the harmful effects of smoking. Smoking in adolescents is a challenge that is raising concerns about the negative effects and the emotional consequences that such teenagers may have to face. Increasing awareness is a good step in reducing the number of smokers, but identifying and removing the essential causes and reasons for the uptake of smoke is a more important factor in altogether preventing smoking. All in all, the fight for smoking is not over till yet and continues to pose new challenges to the communities around the world.

References

The Cancer Council News, 2007. . Web.

Laurie Chassen, Clark C. Presson and Steven J. Sherman, 2005. Adolescent Cigarrette Smoking: A Commentary and Issues for Pediatric Psychology. Journal of Pediatric Psychology 2005, 30(4): 299-303.

Cheryl Healton and Kathleen Nelson, 2004. Reversal of Misfortune: Veiwing Tobacco as a Social Justice Issue. American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 94, No. 2.

A. Jeanne, M Van Loon, Marja TIjhuis, Paul G. Surtees and Johan Ormel. Determinants of Smoking Status: Cross Sectional Data on Smoking Initiation and Cessation. The European Journal of Public Health 2005 15(3): 256-261

Marilyn Senguire and Karen Chalmers, 2000.Addressing the “Costs of Quitting” Smoking: A Health Promotion Issue for Adolescent Girls in Canada. Health Promotion International, Vol 15, No. 3, 227-235

Smoking and Cancer, 2007. Web.