Anti-Smoking Campaign

The image above is an older woman with a hole in her throat caused by smoking .The caption is Terrie saying “I Never Thought Smoking Would Do This.” The CDC (Centers For Disease Control and Prevention) released this advertisement to persuade people to quit smoking . Smoking is known to cause an array of diseases. Cigarettes cost a lot of money and does not contribute positively to the smokers health. The issue is that there are more and more people engaging in this lifestyle. The CDC created this advertisement to raise awareness of one of the brutal effects of smoking.Last but not least, this advertisement is helping smokers and non- smokers reflect on the consequences of smoking.

Smoking cigarettes can cause many diseases. Lung cancer is the most common disease associated with smoking. Lung Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs. This is also the number one deadly result of smoking.According to the CDC, “People who smoke cigarettes are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than people who do not smoke.” The woman in the picture may not have lung cancer but she has another illness that has changed her appearance and lifestyle dramatically.One can detect regret in Terrie’s quote. She says “I did not know smoking could do this”. This quote implies that if she knew the true effects of smoking then she would have taken a different route in life. This advertisement is brutally honest, it helps the reader reflect and ponder on whether or not they want to live miserably like Terrie.Another disease associated with smoking cigarettes, is peripheral artery disease, this is a condition in which blood vessels reduce the amount of blood flow in the limbs.“Any amount of smoking, even occasionally, damages the heart and blood vessels. Secondhand smoke also can hurt the heart and blood vessels, greatly increasing the risk of heart attack and death in adults (Azura).”The substances that are in cigarettes have negative effects on blood cells and their function.

The cost of buying cigarettes not only affect one's pockets but also their lifestyle. It cost a person 7.00 dollars or more to buy a pack of cigarettes , concurrently the cigarette manufacturing companies only spend cents to make the product.At today’s prices, if you smoke one pack of cigarettes each day for ten years, you’ll spend almost $99,000 – easily enough to buy a new car (or two) or put a deposit on a house ( Cancer Council Victoria).” When buying cigarettes or before considering buying , smokers should think of better ways to use that money. Smoking can drastically change one's lifestyle, like Terrie in the advertisements.

In the image, the older woman was diagnosed with throat cancer , this disease also affects her appearance .The hole in her throat is also use do grab the attention of viewers to either avoid smoking or quit smoking. “Many of the more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke also damage collagen and elastin, which are fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity (MFMER).” this begins to make your skin looks as if you are older than your age with saggy and unhealthy skin, this can also to lead to skin cancer. The CDC encourages people to quit because the effects of smoking can lead to more than one health problems.

Many people think smoking relaxes the mind and relieves stress ,the truth is smoking cigarettes could cause a mental condition which could cause people with anxiety worse. When a person smokes nicotine it reaches the brain and releases chemicals that makes a person crave the desire to smoke more and more. This could even control the activity of the brain and cause a emotion of anger and depression, Little do people know these feelings could lead up to more critical disorder such as bipolar disorders , which could lead you to be hospitalized. If a person was to view this advertisement they would think twice about smoking, they would even try to get help to quit their smoking addiction before it becomes worse, or even lead them to have the hole in there throat which has a negative effect on your appearance. This image has a positive affect and makes people motivated to not wanting to smoke or quit smoking.

In conclusion, this advertisement from the CDC is meant to discourage smoking. The image highlights one of the many effects of smoking. It changes a person's appearance, causes disease, premature aging , and costs the buyer lots of money. There is an increase the amount of individuals that smoke today so organizations like the CDC feel it is their duty to warn the public about the detrimental effects of smoking.

Works Cited

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/basic_info/risk_factors.htm

https://www.azuravascularcare.com/infopad/link-between-smoking-and-pad/

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/smoking-the-financial-cost

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/expert-answers/smoking/faq-20058153

https://www.mittalclinic.com/stop-active-and-passive-smoking-it-makes-life-miserable/b26

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