Production and Sale of Tobacco Must be Made Illegal - Argumentative Essay

Introduction

Production and sales of tobacco have been going on for more than one century causing more harms than benefits. Tobacco has affected the environment, caused adverse health effects and numerous deaths, and it is, for this reason, production and sale of tobacco must be banned. Currently, banning of tobacco production and sale is supported by various organizations especially in public health sector who feels that some diseases and deaths are attributed to the use of tobacco; however, some people especially the smokers feel that it is their right to buy and use tobacco at will and banning the production and sale amounts to abuse of their fundamental rights. This paper looks at the reasons why tobacco must be made illegal against the main reasons given to support production and sale of tobacco.

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There is no doubt that tobacco mainly in the form of cigarettes is one of the leading causes of preventable diseases and deaths. It is estimated that cigarettes cause six million deaths per year (Proctor 27). This number is likely to increase as the number of smokers continues to rise. In many instances, the tobacco users are not aware of the damage the cigarettes are causing to their bodies. Tobacco causes severe health problem to the users. The main problem associated with tobacco smoking involves respiratory problems where cigarette smoking is the leading cause of respiratory diseases such as lung cancer. The smoke harms the lungs characterized by chronic coughing and subsequent development of asthma and difficulty breathing. As a result, the users find it difficult to engage in simple activities such as walking and running. In addition to lung cancer, tobacco also causes other forms of malignancy such as mouth and throat cancer. Tobacco in the form of edible elements is also associated with heart and digestive system problems (CDC). All these health problems are associated with the financial loss in health care as well as reduced productivity of the affected individuals (Peretti-Watel 230). Tobacco also has social effects, especially when taken in the form of smoking. Some people do not like the smell of the smoke. Besides, smoke can cause glass wares to become hazy while smoke is absorbed by aspects such as clothes, carpets and furniture.

Despite the numerous health and environmental effects associated with tobacco, some people feel that tobacco has some beneficial aspects. The assumption is that when a person takes tobacco, they experience stimulation of feeling good effects. This effect is thought to be as a result of some chemicals that go to the brain and thus why some people are thought to express better mental ability after smoking. Tobacco is also associated with reduced stress and depression and thus why a person gets in a relaxation mood after smoking a cigarette. Although these assumptions are valid, the effects are embedded in the addiction to tobacco and the effects of neurochemistry brought by the chemicals in tobacco (Benowitz 2295). Nevertheless, the adverse effects of these chemicals on the user's health are more than the benefits and cannot be used to cover for the more diseases and loss of lives associated with tobacco intake.

Tobacco manufacturers hide behind people's addiction problem to continue producing and selling tobacco products. In their advertisements they create a notion that people enjoy tobacco products such as cigarettes; however, the truth is that these people do not enjoy smoking, but rather they are addicted to nicotine found in tobacco and will only feel normal when they take tobacco. Some tobacco users regret having started smoking and wish they would not have started in the first place. Tobacco industry seems to be enjoying the high addiction to their products that translates to more sales that result in higher profits. Without the higher dependence, the sales will be significantly low since most people will be able to discontinue taking tobacco products at will. The high rates of addiction correlate with the high number of individuals experiencing adverse effects of tobacco such as adverse health effects.

Some people argue that the tobacco production and sale should not be illegalized since they significantly contribute to a nation's economy through the creation of employment and paying taxes to the government. In the fiscal year 2018, the United States government collected $27 billion from the tobacco industry. At a glance, it seems the country can lose a lot of revenue if production and sale of tobacco are banned; however, when the amount of treating diseases brought by tobacco is considered the idea of illegalizing tobacco wins. In the same year, the United States spent $170 billion in addressing tobacco-associated health problems (Statistica). These figures show that the government loses more than it gains when production and sale of tobacco are still legal. The government will continue to lose more money as long as tobacco remains legal in the United States. This situation is similar in other nations where developing nations are more affected by tobacco products. In addition to the treatment cost of diseases, tobacco is associated with degradation of natural environment causing significant loss. Production of tobacco in terms of growing, curing, packaging, advertisements and transport use few resources but on the other hand cause significant harm to the environment through the use of massive pesticides and deforestation to grow tobacco and obtaining firewood for processing tobacco. Tobacco processing also contributes to the substantial amount of greenhouse gases (Novotny 878).

Besides the money issue, the tobacco industry has corrupted morals affecting human civilization. The big companies have been sponsoring corrupted researches to mask their negative impacts on humanity (Proctor 27). Also, media companies that massively benefit from the advertisement from tobacco industry are reluctant in publishing the harm tobacco causes to the people. As a result, the media deviate from the role of informing and educating the mass and instead give false information contrary to their core value of providing unbiased and accurate information. Other intuitions including the legislative and executive are also victims of tobacco industry bullying. The industry has been accused of interfering with the development of laws by funding opposition towards the development of bills that would illegalize tobacco production and sale.

The opponents of illegalization of tobacco cite interference with their liberties. They believe that buying and using tobacco products is a personal decision that should not have any interference from other people. If production and sale of tobacco are discontinued, millions of people will not be able to buy and use tobacco products such as cigarettes. As a result, they will feel that their right to use their money has been denied. What the users do not understand is that when they smoke, they not only affect their health but also affect the status of the people who are around them. One of the main routes that affect non-users of tobacco involves passive smoking when a person smokes in close vicinity of other people who are non-smokers. The exhaled smoke is inhaled by other people with a possibility of affecting their health in a similar manner affecting the direct user (CDC). Passive smoking has the highest negative impacts on children who do not understand the harmful effects of tobacco. Pregnant mothers who either directly engages in smoking may argue that it is their liberty to consume or smoke tobacco since they have the right to their body; however, they fail to understand that tobacco will consequently have adverse effects on the development of the fetus and even on the child after birth. Children are born with various defects and if the use of tobacco continues more deformed children will be born.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is clear that production and sale of products should be made illegal since it has more negative effects that the realized benefits. Supporters of manufacture and sale of tobacco support their arguments by stating that it leads to significant revenue for the government; however, more resources are channeled towards correcting damages caused by tobacco. They also support their business by stating that cigarettes have beneficial effects of stimulating the mind and that users enjoy tobacco, but these effects are highly associated with addiction. The tobacco industry is associated with corrupting society morals especially through funding illegal activities to enable their continued existence. Corrupted institutions include various arms of governments that are meant to protect the public. Users of tobacco products think illegalizing tobacco is connected to denial of fundamental rights, but people do not understand the harmful effects of tobacco on their body as well as to the people around them.

Work Cited

Benowitz, Neal L. "Nicotine Addiction." The New England journal of medicine, vol. 362, no.24, 2010, pp.2295-2303.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Smoking & Tobacco Use." CDC, 15 May 2017, www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/

Novotny, Thomas E et al. "The Environmental and Health Impacts of Tobacco Agriculture, Cigarette Manufacture and Consumption." Bulletin of the World Health Organization, vol. 93, no.12, 2015, pp.877-880.

Peretti-Watel, Patrick, et al. "Poverty as a Smoking Trap." International Journal of Drug Policy, vol. 20, no. 3, 2009, pp. 230-236.

Proctor, Robert N. "Why Ban the Sale of Cigarettes? The Case for Abolition." Tobacco Control, vol. 22, no 1, 2013, pp. 27-30.

Statista. "Tobacco-Related Revenues vs Tobacco Prevention Spending and Health Costs U.S. 2018 | Statistic." Statista, 2018, www.statista.com/statistics/615592/tobacco-revenues-and-prevention-spending-in-us-fiscal-year/