Is smoking worth it?

This piece of writing was written in English by one of our Year 11 students, following on from a Science lesson as looking at a hearts and lungs, their dissection and anatomy, and linking in with the impact of smoking.

I am going to talk about the pros and cons of smoking and state points from both sides.

On one hand smoking, funnily enough, does have some positive outcomes. Firstly, a lot of smokers believe it can be a good stress relief, they say that when they feel down, angry or frustrated when they have a cigarette it calms them down, to a smoker who has had a long and hard day at work having a 'fag' at the end of the day is like finding fold at the end of a rainbow.

Another positive effect of smoking is it can put the user in a sense of relaxation, whether you're with your friends in town or sat at home watching Emmerdale people believe you are in ultimate relaxation whilst smoking. 

Lastly, have you noticed how smokers come across less aggressive than the average non-smoker? Well the truth is they are less aggressive due to the fact that if they are angry all they will have to do is have a cigarette and bobs your uncle, they suddenly become a lot more understanding.

On the other hand, smoking definitely provides a lot of negative side effects. Do you want to live longer? Do you want to see your children grow up? Do you have a dream of being a healthy person? If the answer to any of these is yes then, why are you smoking? Yes, I get it, quitting is a lot harder than you think. However, if you stand up for yourself and seek the correct help you can conquer this devastating beast and become a much healthier person. 

Have you seen a smoker's lung? Believe me it is not a pleasant sight, you can see one lunch working as the other hopelessly tries to keep you breathing. Smoking is the number one cause of cancer world wide. The average cigarette contains over 4,000 chemical substances and 60 of them are known to cause cancer and various horrifying diseases such as lung cancer and heart disease! Furthermore the smoker's lung is blacker than your average night sky, sticky like honey and most importantly, not healthy. If you want to grow old with a family then seek that help and quit smoking today!

In conclusion, smoking is not worth it. Think about your friends, your family, everybody around you, whether they smoke or not your actions still affect others and the environment. However, for the people who are smoking the idea of stamping it into the past is significantly harder than you think, but as a society, we must stand by each other and help each other every step of the journey to provide a better world for future generations. Lastly, I strongly advise everyone not to smoke, however I do realise that if people do not quit we as a community, should not judge; the world is an equal life, yes we are a team, but each individual has the right to make their own decisions.