An Expository Essay

Secondhand Smoke- Exposure to Environmental Tobacco (ETS)

Imagine a young, loving mother tenderly caring for her newborn baby. She bathes
him and dresses him in warm, clean pajamas. She wraps him gently in a soft blanket
and holds him carefully as she reaches for her cigarette and takes a puff as she sweetly
smiles at her young son. Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke given off by the
burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of a
smoker. The National Toxicology Program from the National Institute of Health lists
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) as a “known” human carcinogen. Research has
shown a cause and effect relationship between exposure to ETS and human cancer
incidence. I feel that all non-smokers need to have legal protection from secondhand
smoke.

To begin with, medical researchers testify that ETS causes about 3,000 lung cancer
deaths annually among unsuspecting adult nonsmokers. Scientific studies have also
estimated that ETS accounts for as many as 35,000 deaths from ischemic heart disease
each year in the United States.

In addition, doctors attest to the fact that secondhand smoke causes a greater number and
severity of asthma attacks and lower respiratory infections in children. This exposure
increases the risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and middle ear infections, as
well. That trusting infant boy may become yet another tragic statistic.

As cotinine is a major metabolite of nicotine, exposure to nicotine from ETS can be

measured by analyzing the cotinine levels in the blood, saliva, or urine from a
nonsmoker. In 1991, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 90%
of the U.S. population had measurable levels of serum cotinine in their blood. Children
3-19 years old had higher levels of cotinine than did adults 20 years and above. ETS
stalks victims of all ages and races.

I realize that some people may look at more legislation to protect nonsmokers from
ETS as an intrusion of freedom based on “scare tactics”. I do believe, however, that
the data speaks for itself. We need to define boundaries between personal freedom and
license. In an organized society I drive my car at a mandated speed to protect my
passengers, others and myself on the road. I play my stereo at a normal level not to
bother my neighbors. I cannot carry weapons on an airplane in the chance that those
weapons could potentially harm someone else. In all those cases, certainly personal
freedom is curtailed for the common good. When my freedom to smoke takes away
another’s freedom to be in a smoke free environment, scientific research on related
health issues as well as the common good need to be considered in the equation.

Exposure to secondhand smoke is called involuntary smoking as well as passive

smoking. As one in four people smoke, it is difficult to avoid environmental tobacco
smoke. We must work together to pass laws to educate society about the potential
dangers of ETS and protect our American right to be smoke free in every environment.
We must protect helpless children at home and in public places. Everyone needs to join
in the crusade TODAY to save innocent lives.