Warning labels on the dangers of cigarette smoking first appeared on packages in 1966. The label read, "CAUTION: Cigarette Smoking May Be Hazardous To Your Health." In 1970, the message on the label was a bit stronger: "WARNING: The Surgeon General Has Determined That Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous To Your Health."
I do not like to be around smokers. The smoker is at risk, but so am I. And there's no reason to hide my feelings of disappointment and bewilderment when I see an adult smoking. Actually, my emotions are many and varied: anger, concern, indignation, exasperation, and sometimes a feeling of sorrow. Available evidence from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides plenty of reasons for such sorrowful moments:
Cigarette smoking causes about one of every five deaths in the United States each year, and is estimated to cause more than 480,000 deaths annually (including deaths from secondhand smoke). It was a powerful message from the U.S. Surgeon General in 1986 that indicated the dangers of second-hand smoke.
Every day, almost 3,900 children under 18 years of age try their first cigarette, and more than 950 of them will become new, regular daily smokers. Half of them will ultimately die from their habit. That is according to the American Lung Association.
My feelings are basically the same for anyone who smokes, but it's easier to understand why teen-agers do it. Even though most of them are aware of the health risks, they continue to believe, as teen-agers have always believed, that they are invincible. And "those things will never happen to me."
It's difficult to convince a teen-ager that cigarette smoking is not 'cool' and that it will likely kill them (that is no exaggeration). But we must continue to badger, nag, coax, cajole, and do any and every thing to help them stop if they already smoke, and never start if they haven't.
Health experts tell us that even smokeless tobacco is bad for us; like cigarettes, it also can cause cancer. A world-famous baseball great died in 2014 of cancer as a result of having a wad of tobacco in his jaw for years. Smokeless tobacco can cause heart arrhythmias, too, and that can be very serious.
Now we have E-cigarettes to worry about. The WebMD website tells us that 2012 studies indicated that about 1.78 million U.S. students had tried e-cigarettes, and of course the numbers have increased significantly since.
They are very popular among teens, as well as adults. And many have the expectation that it will help them stop smoking regular cigarettes. Will it? Who knows? It appears that research into the potential effects on health is still in the early stages. But according to the FDA there's enough concern that they are considering regulations.
When a smoker says, "I'm only hurting myself, so butt out," we should inform him/her that they are also hurting the environment, their family, their friends, and anyone who has to breathe in the toxins released from their smoke. It is even more dangerous for children because their bodies are still developing and there can be drastic effects.
An excuse often used for continuing to smoke without regard for others is, "It's a legal substance, so I'm doing nothing wrong." Guns are also legal, but inflicting harm or causing the death of another while using a gun is certainly not legal.
Should it be a punishable offense when a cigarette smoker is responsible for someone's illness or death?
We all want to breathe clean air, so please consider others before lighting up. And think about yourself, too! As many of us have observed, struggling to breathe is a slow and agonizing way to die.
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