Writing Topic
☆Let’s Think
1.
If cigarette smoking becomes
illegal, which of the following is correct?
a.
Cigarette smoking in public
places is banned.
b.
Cigarette smoking in any place
is banned.
2.
Discuss the first idea in the
writing topic. Does smoking provide little benefit? What kind of health risks
does smoking provide?
3.
Discuss the second idea in the
writing topic. Can freedom of choice be applied to the choice of smoking?
4.
This topic is the choice
between health and freedom. Should cigarette smoking be illegal to protect one’s
health or legal to respect one’s freedom and personal responsibility?
☆ Hints for points
Cigarette smoking should be illegal.
1. It is toxic and causes cancer and other serious diseases.
2. It is addictive.
3. Second-hand smoke/smoking is a serious threat to public health.
- Counterarguments:
1) There are measures to take to prevent second-hand smoke such as separate-smoking
and ban on smoking in public areas. (Smoking will remain legal while smoking in
certain areas will be illegal.) ⇔ These measures are not
practical because there are many smokers who do not comply with the rules and
you cannot catch or shut up smoke completely.
2) Banning smoking will undermine the economy. ⇔ Some estimate shows that the smoking related loss, mainly medical
costs, surpasses the loss caused by tobacco ban. Even though the estimate is not
flawless given other factors such as unhealthy lifestyle and environmental
pollution, it is intuitively convincing, since fixing something costs more than
preventing the destruction of it in general.
3) Smoking helps smokers release stress. The so-called relaxing effect of smoking is a
myth. It is scientifically proved that smoking has no such effect and actually
increases stress by raising blood pressure.
- Conclusion: To protect public health, individual freedom can be
limited.
Cigarette smoking should not be illegal.
1. The number of smokers has declined without a total ban on smoking,
probably because of the ban on public smoking, raising the cigarette tax, and
education.
2. You have the right to do whatever you want to do even if it endangers
your health. Other dangerous things such as alcoholic drinks or mountain
climbing are not illegal.
3. Smoking is a necessary evil like drinking and gambling because it
is an established part of society. If cigarettes are banned, some cultures will
be affected. For example, coffee shops or music clubs will be affected. Also, cigarette
industry would go underground if banned. It will be a source of income for
gangs.
- Counterarguments: Secondhand smoke harms other people. ⇔ Only public smoking should be banned.
- Conclusion: As long as measures are taken to prevent second-hand
smoking, the choice between health and fun should be left to each individual.
☆ Essay for Ideas and Expressions
A heavy
smoker’s family loses him twice. Long before he dies of a disease related to smoking,
when they realize that they cannot persuade him to quit smoking, they start a
silent but desperate mourning of his premature death. It is grinding to watch your
beloved harm himself every day. Still, this is actually a minor aspect of the
tragedy of tobacco. Even though it might be difficult to ban smoking because of
smokers’ feelings and economic circumstances, cigarettes should be made illegal
to solve the problem of second-hand smoke and to protect younger generations.
Smoking seems
to be a necessary evil and a matter of self-responsibility just like drinking
and gambling, but the problem of second-hand smoke separates it from other
indulgences. Cigarette smoke directly harms those who are around the smoker.
Children of smokers are more susceptible to respiratory diseases than those of
non-smokers. Many people are sensitive to cigarette smoke and feel ill when
they inhale it. Even though separate-smoking and public smoking ban are
promoted, many smokers do not obey the rules and it is impossible to block the
contaminated air completely. Also, it is difficult to provide the evidence of unwanted
exposure to smoke once the smoker puts it off and walks away. When toxic fumes
are in public places every day, it is natural for the government to regulate
them.
Banning smoking is difficult but possible. It
seems that cigarettes stay legal because their social influence is not as big
as that of drugs and they support the economy. Cigarettes do not make the user
dangerous in the way drugs do, and smokers can keep functioning in society for
decades. Also, the cigarette industry is an established part of economy and
produces tax income, so that it is very difficult to discourage the practice.
However, changes necessary for public health have occurred in the past. Actually,
cigarettes themselves were a replacement that was advocated by the government
for chewing tobacco, which was found to be contributing to the transmission of
tuberculosis through saliva spat on the ground by the users. The government can
make smoking illegal if there is a will to protect public health.
By making smoking illegal, the number of
those who start smoking can be greatly reduced. It is well-known that, even
though it has been scientifically proved that smoking causes lung cancer and
other diseases, smokers find it difficult, and many of them believe it
unnecessary, to quit smoking. This is because smoking is addictive. When some
toxic substance is addictive, making it illegal is one of the effective means
to reduce its harm. This is especially effective in preventing those who are
not addicted, mostly the young, from initiating the habit, since people usually
stay away from things that are illegal.
Smoking seriously
harms non-smokers as well as smokers, and this ends the discussion on freedom
of choice. To protect the health of citizens, especially younger generations, society
is ultimately to be totally cigarette-free, although care should be taken for
smokers and support should be made for those involved in the industry.
☆Sample essay structures
Sample A
【Main Idea】Cigarettes should be made illegal to protect younger generations and
to solve the problem of passive smoking.
【Reason 1】 Smoking harms one’s health badly.
【Reason 2】 The number of those who start smoking can be greatly reduced.
【Counter-counterargument】It is true that individuals have the right to
choose to do what they want to do but smoking harms other individuals and
should be restricted to protect the public good.
【Conclusion】I am convinced that cigarette smoking should be banned because it
will improve public health, especially that of the young generation.
Sample B
【Main Idea】It is more dangerous to ban smoking than to make public totally
smoke-free.
【Reason 1】 Smoking ban is undemocratic.
【Reason 2】 Making smoking illegal would make tobacco industry go underground.
【Counter-counterargument】It is true that smoking provides little
benefit and many health risks. However, the government should not force people
a lifestyle. It can only educate and give advice. Also, there are measures to
protect other individuals from secondhand smoke.
【Conclusion】Even though objectively it does no good, smoking should stay legal.
Your Sample Essay Structure
【Main Idea = Outline】 I agree/disagree with ………………………… because …………………………
【Reason 1】 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
【Reason 2】 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
【Counterargument-treatment】It is true that ………………………………...……………………………...
………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………………….
However, ………………………………………………………………………...…………………………………
【Conclusion = Wrap-up】
