Abstract
Tobacco smoking has been linked with a terminal disease such as lung cancer. The amount of money used to treat diseases due to tobacco smoking is higher than the benefits associated with tobacco. Therefore, there is no difference between the adverse effects of heroin and tobacco. The same law that prohibited the usage of heroin should also make the usage and growing of tobacco illegal.
According to the scientific studies conducted, to establish the effects of tobacco on its users, tobacco contains the most dangerous compounds: carbon monoxide, tar, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, radioactive elements, metals, nitrogen oxides among many others (Gallus et al., 2013). Surprisingly, it has been proven that tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, and over 70 of these chemicals causes cancer (White, 2009). Tobacco Smoking causes over 440,000 deaths annually in the United States and this account for one out of every five deaths (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2015). Tobacco smoking is associated with multiples of diseases such as respiratory infections, coronary heart disease, ulcers, stroke, early menopause, bronchitis, stillborn and premature children, emphysema, and cancer (lung cancer, cancer of the pancreas, stomach, bladder, larynx, uterine cervix, and esophagus) (Gallus et al., 2013).
The research report also reveals that people who smoke tobacco have increased rates of asthma and respiratory infection, and a higher prevalence of bacterial meningitis (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2015). It has also been reported that women who smoke and have HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) are at higher risk of developing cancer or cervical dysplasia (National Cancer Institute, 2015). Besides, women smokers who use birth control pills are at increased risk for thromboembolic ailments including stroke. Tobacco smoking carries with it more harm than good. It is, even more, dangerous than heroin (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2015). Medical reports conducted on American college students shows that of the over 20 million students in the United States currently, about 2-million will die of tobacco smoking-associated diseases, most prematurely. The number is equivalent to about 10% of the current population of college students (National Cancer Institute, 2015).
Exposure to second hand, or ETS (Environmental Tobacco Smoke), is also detrimental to non-smokers and smokers. The Environmental Protection Agency classify ETS as a group A carcinogen. It has been noted that ETS causes over 4,000 lung cancer deaths annually in US nonsmokers (National Cancer Institute, 2015). ETS is also associated with 40,000 ischemic heart ailments deaths annually in America (National Cancer Institute, 2015).
The adverse effects of Tobacco are uncountable and therefore, should be prohibited just like in the case of heroin. In fact, tobacco is, even more, dangerous than heroin. Its adverse effects outweigh its benefits.