Argumentative Essay Model

Have you ever watched a friend or family member suffer through a

debilitating disease, such as COPD, emphysema, or lung cancer? Many people
are diagnosed with one of these, or other, diseases due to smoking cigarettes.
Currently, the legal age to purchase cigarettes is eighteen. However, it should
be illegal to purchase cigarettes at any age. The sale of cigarettes should be
illegal.

The first reason cigarettes should be illegal is that smoking can cause
harm to the smoker. According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Smoking
harms nearly every organ in the body.” This means that smoking may cause
diseases other than the diseases people normally associate with smoking. For
example, smoking increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and forms of
cancer other than lung cancer. The article, The Effects of Smoking on Your
Health says, “Research has linked smoking to an increased risk of developing
age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and optic nerve damage, all of
which can lead to blindness.” This shows that harm caused by cigarettes can
effect almost every aspect of a person’s life. Can you imagine not being able to
see your friends and family or having to adapt to participating in your favorite
activities while not being able to see, all because you want to smoke cigarettes?

The second reason cigarettes should be illegal is that smoking cause harm
to the people around the smoker. The American Cancer Society states that there
are, “An estimated 42,000 deaths from heart disease in people who are current
non-smokers.” This shows that people who are breathing in second hand smoke
are suffering the consequences of smoking, even if they do not smoke. The
American Cancer Society also says smoking causes, “Worse asthma and
asthma-related problems in up to 1 million asthmatic children.” This means that
people who smoke are harming innocent children with asthma who cannot make
the decision to refrain from breathing in second hand smoke. People who smoke
are having an impact on the health of the people around them, who have no say
in the matter.

Another possibility is that some smokers may believe that they are not
harming others because they smoke when no one is around or they air out their
house or car. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, “Thirdhand smoke is
generally considered to be residual nicotine and other chemicals left on a variety
of indoor surfaces by tobacco smoke.” This means that even if people are not
breathing in cigarette smoke, they are still being exposed. For instance, if a
child touches a surface after someone has been smoking, it is possible that they
will become ill. The Mayo Clinic says, “Infants, children and nonsmoking adults
may be at risk of tobacco-related health problems when they inhale, ingest or
touch substances containing thirdhand smoke.” Clearly, it would be best for
everyone, if smoking were banned altogether.

To conclude, smoking is a health risk to everyone, whether one smokes or

not. Therefore, the sale of cigarettes should be illegal. Cigarette smoke puts
both children and adults at risk for a variety of diseases. Can you imagine
choosing to live a life of illness and suffering, or even making that choice for
another person? Perhaps you will think twice next time you are asked if the sale
of cigarettes should be illegal.