TOEFL iBT Independent Writing Do you think cigarette smoking should be stopped by making it illegal or should it remain legal? - revised -

Writing Topic

Some people think that smoking cigarettes should become illegal, since it provides little benefit and a great deal of health risk, others feel that individuals should be free to smoke cigarettes if they choose to do so. Do you think cigarette smoking should be stopped by making it illegal or should it remain legal?

 

 

☆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. You have the right to do whatever you want to do even if it endangers your health.

2. 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】