I’ve never personally pressed my lips against the orangish end of a death torch, however several of my family members have. Smoking and tobacco use is something I have found myself to despise, more so after my uncle and grandmother developed lung cancer. There’s nothing but issues to come from the poison-filled roll of tobacco. The use of tobacco does not only cause trouble for the user but also to the family and friends around them.

In America smoking is the cause for at least 30 percent of cancers according to the American Cancer Society, but that’s only half of the deaths in which tobacco is the culprit. Smoking can cause severe health issues including heart disease, emphysema, stroke and chronic bronchitis. Worsening of existing problems such as asthma and pneumonia may occur as well. I think it’s unfair to those who develop health complications without making poor decisions, when smokers and tobacco users are basically signing themselves up for it.

Whether or not someone smokes inside, outside, in the car or in the garage, secondhand smoke can still occur if someone is standing it the direction of the smoke. There are bans in effect in all 50 states to help protect people from secondhand smoke in public places. However, this does not help children with parents who are smokers. A 4 year old can’t just move out of the house because his or her parents smoke. It’s not right to cause health issues to someone who cannot protect themselves from it, especially when the parents themselves could be preventing it.

There is also no law against pregnant women smoking, but I think there should be. The American Cancer Society says women who smoke during pregnancy have an increased risk for premature delivery, miscarriage and stillbirth. These things are caused from all of the chemicals in a cigarette that are being transferred not only to the mother but the child when smoking.

Smokers are slowly killing themselves and they are too worried about getting a nicotine fix to realize it. They are putting themselves at risk to get cancers, develop health complications or worsen existing health problems. It might be hard for a smoker to quit smoking, but there are always resources to help stop their addiction. Smokers should start being more concerned about the consequences they and their families are going to suffer instead of when they will get to light up another one.