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Michaela Smith

4/14/2017

UWRT 1103

Caruso

Defense Paper: Teen Smoking

Within the past decade smoking has increased all around the world for various reasons

within all ages. Within the past decade, teen smoking has increased substantially, not only in the

United States, but all around our world. Not only teens, but adults continue to smoke every day

for different reasons. Some people say smoking calms their nerves, others do it for a social

aspect., and eEven in the LGBT community, people say it can be a friendly offer and it will

relieve their anxiety momentarily (Person, 31). Teen smoking has greatly increased because of

peer pressure and possible stress of school but also from many family members smoking around

children growing up. Children who have parents who smoke are more than 2 times likely to

smoke cigarettes between the ages of 13 and 21 (UW Today).

Smoking can also be a financial burden in many ways such as by the cost of each

cigarette pack that is constantly increasing and decreasing in demand. Health problems caused by

smoking can also bring financial issues with doctors and hospitals bills, medication, and even

treatment (Markandya and Pearce, 1142).

These health problems that need to be treated can be coughing, wheezing, headaches and

shortage of breath. Smoking can also causes almost any type of cancer and can damage the body

going from the head or neck down to the bladder. Smoking also increases your risk of heart
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disease and a stroke 2 to 4 times and can damages blood vessels, causing them to grow thicker

and make your heart beat faster, therefore having an increased heart rate. Lung diseases can form

including COPD and even asthma attacks (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1).

Some of these health-related problems can be from the effects of second-hand smoking.

Any children around smoking can develop growth problems and a pregnant mother that smokes

can put the baby at risks for premature birth, sudden infant death syndrome, and even ADHD

(healthychildren.org, n.p.). All health problems relating to smoking is what we want our children

and young adults to avoid in their life and to do that we must give them the information to make

an informed decision about smoking.

My fake cigarettes are an exact replica of a real cigarette, white with a light tan tip and

in a cigarette box without containing nicotine or any harmful substance. Each cigarette will have

a health risk, damage, or effect caused by cigarettes written on the side to show the smoker how

this stick could they are about to damage their body. They include many common risks from lung

cancer to headaches and increased blood pressure. The nicotine in any cigarette can cause cancer

and breathing problems and our young smokers should be aware and knowledgeable about the

risks before deciding to smoke.

I chose this method because most posters, advertisements, and other forms of information

do not appeal to the young adult age range. We Everyone sees posters hanging up in doctors

offices, streets, and even in commercials but we dont acknowledge them or take the time to

understand the point it tries to make to the viewers. People will say Dont smoke its bad for

you! but they may not explain why it is bad or harmful to you. Not smoking will keep your

body healthy and strong and will also help in young adults professional lifestyle such as not

smelling like smoke for interviews or not having to take a smoke break every hour.
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I would put these cigarettes on college campuses for tobacco-free organizations to hand

out to students and increase the awareness of the risks of smoking. This will give young adults

and kids the sense of what it is like to hold a cigarette while learning what this one white stick

could do to bring them harm right now and in the future. Each one is easy to hand out and the

risk is short enough to read quickly on the cigarette for brisk and easy use while walking and

going on with your day. I hope the young-adults and students that take one of these cigarettes

will learn the risks of smoking and make an informed decision before poisoning their body with

this harmful substances.

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Original:

Person, Daniel. "Why Do We Still Smoke?" Seattle Weekly News. N.p., 31 Mar. 2015.

Web. 15 Feb. 2017.

"Children whose parents smoked are twice as likely to begin smoking between ages 13

and 21 as offspring of nonsmokers." UW Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2017

Markandya, A., and D. W. Pearce. "The Social Costs Of Tobacco Smoking." British Journal

Of Addiction 84.10 (1989): 1139-1150. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Feb. 2017.

New:

"Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 01 Dec. 2016. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.