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Need tough regulation on smoking

Smoking is bad for health, we all know it. It harms nearly every organ of the body. Cigarette smoking causes 87 per cent of deaths due to lung cancer. It is also responsible for many other cancers and health problems. It affects non-smokers as well, as they inhale the smoke and get many of the same problems as smokers do. Despite all these continuous warnings, many smoke. Once you start smoking, it is very difficult to end this addiction. This is because tobacco contains nicotine, which is highly addictive. Like other addictive drugs, the body and mind become so used to the nicotine in cigarettes that a person needs to have it just to feel normal. I am writing this to highlight the rising problem of smoking in teenagers. Even though some of them just smoke for fun, they are not aware of the serious effects it might have on them. Most teenagers tend to smoke because of peer pressure, or for the need to fit in with a particular group. Teen smoking, in fact, is more common among teens whose parents smoke. I feel, it is the responsibility of the parents to take a firm stance on this issue, and discourage their children from picking such bad habits. The government also should take stringent measures and ban smoking completely. Imposing heavy fines or increasing the price of tobacco does not help. Awareness campaigns should be conducted. As the proverb says, "It is better late than never."
- Akhil, Abu Dhabi