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Why Should Cigarettes Be Outlawed

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Should Cigarettes Be Illegal?

There has been a lot of question over the years whether or not cigarettes should be outlawed. The answer might not be as obvious as presumed, because there are many pros and cons to banning cigarettes, and to discover the most viable solution, can be very difficult. On the bright side of banning cigarettes, it can reduce the amount of many smoking caused diseases, it would encourage smokers to quit smoking or smoke less, and it would hopefully decrease the amount of deaths caused by smoking. Although, there are also many disadvantages of outlawing cigarettes to consider such as the possibility of, an increase in crime, an increase in illegal distribution of drugs, and an increase in street violence (Newman). …show more content…
Smoking can lead to many diseases that can severely affect one’s life. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, state that “More than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking”. That is 16 million people diagnosed with a disease caused by smoking in one single country, which demonstrates how big of an issue unhealthy smoking has become. If cigarettes were outlawed, there probably would not be as many smokers. It is common knowledge to understand that making cigarettes illegal would decrease the amount of smokers because this drug would be more difficult to obtain. This shows a large benefit in banning cigarettes, the less they are sold, the less they are bought. Lastly, outlawing cigarettes would most likely decrease the amount of deaths caused by smoking. In the United States alone over 522,000 people die per year because of cigarette and secondhand smoking (CDC). This means that an average of 1400 people die everyday due to some sort of interaction with cigarettes. All these horrible outcomes due to cigarettes can easily be minimized if cigarettes were to be …show more content…
If cigarettes were to become illegal, a lot more people would be breaking the law. People addicted to smoking would be forced to buy them illegally and prisons would soon fill up (Newman). This displays how if people want it, they will get it one way or another. There would be an increase of deaths on the ‘streets’ because of the dangers of finding a way to acquire cigarettes illegally. Tony Newman states “There would be shootouts in the streets and killings over the right to sell the prohibited tobacco plant”. This demonstrates the need it, want it, acquire it motive that people would have to go through if they desperately needed a cigarette. Lastly, there would be much more illegal distribution. The distribution of ‘illegal drugs’ would surely increase if cigarettes were legalized. Drugs are a big factor in adolescent lives, “Approximately 25% of all students in grades 9 through 12 indicate someone has offered, sold, or given them an illegal drug on school property” (Floyd). This number would do nothing but increase if cigarettes were outlawed. These ideas are very important to consider when discussing the subject about banning

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