Smoking Problem
by Kong Kong, 3rd Grade, CT, USA
In busy cities all around the world, it is easy and often to see someone smoking. Smoking might seem to be a small thing, but it is definitely not. Did you know? According to WHO's research in 2017, smoking causes many serious illnesses, such as cancer, heart attacks, and more than 8 million deaths worldwide annually.
Based on Nicorette's research, there are over 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes. Some are poisonous and used in nail polish remover, paint, batteries, etc. At least 69 of these chemicals are highly related to serious illnesses. They damage people's lungs, cells, heart, skin, teeth, and hair. Coughing, breathing and memory problems, heart attacks, and a shorter lifespan are also among the noxious effects of smoking. Remember: Although smoking can provide short-term relief from pain and stress for smokers, it creates much more long-term damage to their bodies.
Smoking not only affects smokers but also those around them. Secondhand smoke produces a bad odor and poses health risks to non-smokers, harming everyone, especially children. According to the American Lung Association, secondhand smoke is responsible for between 150,000 and 300,000 infections in approximately 1-year-old babies, resulting in about 10,000 hospitalizations each year.
In summary, smoking leads to numerous health problems for both smokers and non-smokers worldwide. More and more people are becoming aware of and concerned about these issues. In the USA, 21.5 million people attempted to quit smoking in 2018. For a healthy, clean city, should the next cigarette be lit up?
Citations
Smoking Cessation
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/word-stop-made-cigarette-butts-ashes-1426449248
Health Problems Caused by Secondhand Smoke
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/secondhand-smoke/health.html
How Secondhand and Thirdhand Smoke Hurt Our Kids The Most
https://searhc.org/how-secondhand-and-thirdhand-smoke-hurts-our-kids-the-most/
Tobacco
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco
Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke
https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/smoking-facts/health-effects/secondhand-smoke
Tobacco Related Mortality
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/tobacco_related_mortality/index.htm#
:~:text=Cigarettes%20and%20Death,-
Cigarette%20smoking%20causes&text=Cigarette%20smoking%20is%20estimated%20to%20cause%20the
%20following%3A&text=More%20than%20480%2C000%20deaths%20annually,including%20deaths%20fro
m%20secondhand%20smoke)
Cigarette Chemicals & The Effects of Smoking on Your Body
https://www.nicorette.ca/get-ready-to-quit/cigarette-chemicals-and-effects-of-
smoking?ds_rl=1282298&ds_rl=1282553&gclid=Cj0KCQjwj_ajBhCqARIsAA37s0yv2uxfKryVTVurZf_ixBu9tT
ch_I5ih-7WLVLlnE4YbpoLcHOwmt8aAktfEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
