Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Should tobacco companies be held responsible for smoking-related illnesses and deaths?

According to Robin Coe ,eHow Contributor. There were an estimated 12 million people that died between 1964 and 2004 because of cigarette smoking. During that time, 94,000 infants also died because of exposure in the womb.Each year, around 400,000 deaths happen prematurely because of smoking, according to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention.
A person that smokes 30 cigarettes a day, or 1 ½ packs, is receiving an average of 300 hits of nicotine each day. Smoking and secondhand smoke quickens the buildup of plaque in coronary arteries. This process usually happens as you age. It also can speed up the process of aging or cause premature aging. Smoking can cause wrinkles because it effects blood flow to the skin and depletes oxygen and important nutrients.

For me I feel that's a yes and no!They  shouldn't because people are going to do what they want to do! The tobacco companies are not responsible for you choosing to smoke and how often you smoke! They make it aware for everyone to know about the consequences in smoking! They put a warning on the cigarette box. Second hand smoke you can argue a little more because people who smoke  causes non-smoker to get ill! they also made the product and its made with a lot of chemicals that are not good for you.
Though the United States started the trend of labeling cigarette packages with health warnings, today the country has one of the smallest, least prominent warnings placed on their packages.Warnings are usually in small typeface placed along one of the sides of the cigarette packs with colors and fonts that closely resemble the rest of the package, so the warnings essentially are integrated and do not stand out with the rest of the cigarette package.However, this is subject to change as the family smoking prevention and tobacco control act of 2009 requires color graphics with supplemental text that depicts the negative consequences of smoking to cover 50 percent of the front and rear of each pack. The U.S Food and drug administration  will select 9 new health warnings in June 2011, and tobacco companies will begin to include them on their cigarette packaging and advertisements within 15 months thereafter by October 2012.


Cigarettes

  • Caution: Cigarette Smoking May be Hazardous to Your Health (1966–1970)
  • Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined that Cigarette Smoking is Dangerous to Your Health (1970–1985)
  • SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy. (1985-)
  • SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health. (1985-)
  • SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Smoking By Pregnant Women May Result in Fetal Injury, Premature Birth, And Low Birth Weight. (1985-)
  • SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide. (1985-)

Cigars

  • SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: Cigar Smoking Can Cause Cancers Of The Mouth And Throat, Even If You Do Not Inhale.
  • SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: Cigars Are Not A Safe Alternative To Cigarettes.
  • SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: Tobacco Smoke Increases The Risk Of Lung Cancer And Heart Disease, Even In Nonsmokers.
  • SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: Cigar Smoking Can Cause Lung Cancer And Heart Disease.
  • SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: Tobacco Use Increases The Risk Of Infertility, Stillbirth, And Low Birth Weight.
  • SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: This Product Contains/Produces Chemicals Known To The State Of California To Cause Cancer, And Birth Defects Or Other Reproductive Harm.
Stronger warning labels started to appear in May 2010

Smokeless tobacco

Effective June 2010, the following labels began to appear on smokeless tobacco products and their advertisements.
  • WARNING: This product can cause mouth cancer.
  • WARNING: This product can cause gum disease and tooth loss.
  • WARNING: This product is not a safe alternative to cigarettes.
  • WARNING: Smokeless tobacco is addictive.
The new warnings are required to comprise 30 percent of two principal display panels on the packaging; on advertisements, the health warnings must constitute 20 percent of the total area.