More than 25% of Americans smoke cigarettes now than 30 years ago and the amount of smokers are increasing as you read this paper. Only you can stop the amount of smokers from climbing any higher. I am going to give you some hard facts and reasons why you should not smoke. Tobacco companies are making millions of dollars each day, as hundreds of Americans die each day. According to the American cancer web site, smoking is on the rise again. About 111,000 people die each year due to smoking or passive smoking. Also one person dies every five minutes from a smoking related disease. Everywhere you turn there are smokers, mainly teenagers and women, and most of them are under the age of eighteen.
             Following are some other disturbing facts from studies. Smoking affects a person's health in many serious ways, having both short and long term effects. A study shows that milligram for milligram, the nicotine contained in all cigarette smoke is more potent than heroin. Another Study shows that smoking is also to linked wrinkling of the skin at an early age. As a smoker you can develop many cancers and diseases in your body. Some of the damaging effects to your body are lung cancer, heart disease, Asthma emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and shortness of breath.
             Another major danger is second hand smoke. Little did you know that by you simply smoking a cigarette around a non-smoker you are not just killing yourself, but you are also killing the people around you. The poisons in second-hand smoke can burn the eyes, nose, throat, and cause coughing. The smoke can also increase ones heart rate and cause upset stomach to a non-smoker. Second hand smoke is worse than the smokers smoking a cigarette themselves. When a person receives second hand smoke it is like they are smoking two cigarettes themselves. For those of you with infants and young kids please realize that they are seriously affected by second hand smoke too. Studies sh...