Warnings Of The Dangers Of Cigarettes And Tobacco

Warnings of the dangers of cigarettes and tobacco surround us on a daily basis yet smoking persists. Do millions of people continue to smoke for reasons more powerful than previously imagined? What, for example, could possess a heart attack victim to light up a cigarette the moment he is wheeled out of the coronary care unit? (Blakeslee) There must be some deeper cause. Something must exist to drown out the warnings and entice smokers despite the evidence of disease and death. The answer lies in nicotine and its addictive qualities as well as the concentrated campaign waged by the tobacco companies to peddle their wares. It is ridiculous to consider that tobacco companies are unaware of the dangers of their products. Indeed, they are†¦show more content†¦Before succumbing to their smoking related disease, the afflicted smokers will inevitably need care for their condition, incurring tremendous costs. This can cost the population of smokers billions of dollars every year (Day nard). If the individual smoker does not have insurance or is otherwise unable to meet the enormous costs, the bill can end up passed to the taxpayers, merely passing along the expense. In addition, the dangers posed by cigarettes are not limited to smokers themselves. Every year in the United States, 400,000 babies are born whose mothers smoked while pregnant. Additionally, smoking is thought to be responsible for in excess of 20,000 miscarriages and possibly seven times that number (Proctor 5). The babies that survive to term are at risk for a host of health issues, including low birth weight, increased danger of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, as well as possible delays in mental and behavioral development and increased possibility of birth defects such as cleft palate (Ashwin). Though the fetus does not actually inhale the smoke, the substances and poisons entering the mothers body cannot help but affect the unborn. In the face of these horrific statistics, why does anyone continu e to smoke? The answer can be found in examination of the mechanics of nicotine. An abused drug, as defined