lve because, “today’s teenager is tomorrow’s potential customer.” This is a very true statement. According to a Bill introduced into the House of Representatives this past April, “almost 90 percent of adult smokers began at or before age 18.” And people who begin smoking at an early age are more likely to develop severe levels of nicotine addiction than those who start at a later age. According to these finding, the government would find it easier to prevent teenage smoking from starting, than to deal with the repercussions of it later. Teenage smoking is a problem for various reasons. It is a serious danger to health. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking is responsible for and estimated one in five U.S. deaths and costs the U.S. at least $92 billion each year in health care costs and lost productivity. Cigarette smoking during childhood and adolescence produces significant heath problems among young people, including cough and phlegm production, and an increase in the number and severity of resperatory illnesses, decreased physical fitness, and potential retardation in the rate of lung growth and the level of maximum lung function. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, more Americans die each year from smoking related illnesses than Americans that are killed each year by AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, illegal drugs, and fires combined.” Now that is the best proof I can think of that smoking is bad problem. Although most teens are aware of the risk factors, many still continue to smoke. According to Trish Fraser, a trustee of the Smoke-free Coalition, when kids were asked why they started smoking, they gave two contradictory answers. They wanted to be part of a crowd. Children do not want to be left out, they want to be wanted. If their peers are smoking, than they will want to smoke as well. They want to reach out and rebel at...
