Smoking is a major cause of serious illness and death throughout the world today. In the interest of the public health, governments should ban cigarettes and other tobacco products. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Many today are calling for a complete ban on

tobacco

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-related products due to their

health

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effects. In my opinion, since

tobacco

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offers few tangible benefits,

such

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a prohibition would be justified. Opponents of

such

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a policy argue that it conflicts with individual and economic freedom.

Firstly

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, individuals should have the right to live their life as they wish as long as they are not harming others.

This

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is the basic tenet that underlies most democratic societies and smoking

cigarettes

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falls firmly within

this

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sphere of an individual’s rights.

Secondly

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, there is an economic factor.

Tobacco

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companies produce billions of

cigarettes

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a year, providing employment and paying significant taxes throughout the process. If these companies were suddenly forced to declare bankruptcy and shut down, it would have catastrophic short-term effects on the economies of both developed and developing nations. The economic downsides alone could, temporarily, do more harm than good.

However

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,

tobacco

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is an almost entirely harmful product in its effects.

In contrast

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to other narcotics,

such

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as caffeine, alcohol, and cannabis, there is no discernible sensation produced by smoking

cigarettes

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or chewing

tobacco

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.

Tobacco

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contains nicotine, which is highly addictive and engenders a chemical dependency, and

that is

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the reason it has become

such

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a common habit.

Moreover

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, there are meaningful

health

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problems that for smokers as well as unintended parties through

second

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-hand smoke. It is common for long-time smokers to suffer from a weakened immune system, conditions like emphysema, and an increased risk for lung cancer. These maladies place an added burden on the

health

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system and hospitals. The limited benefits of

cigarettes

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compared with the massive potential

health

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costs for individuals and society justify the ban. Individuals have always had to sacrifice elements of freedom in order to ensure greater security and

this

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issue is only viewed differently for historical reasons.