The Evils of Smoking

Level: C2

If you smoke and you still don’t believe that there’s a definite link between smoking and bronchial troubles, heart disease and lung cancer, then you are certainly deceiving yourself. No one will accuse you of hypocrisy. Let us just say that you are suffering from a bad case of wishful thinking. This needn’t make you too uncomfortable because you are in good company. Whenever the subject of smoking and health is raised, the governments of most countries hear no evil, see no evil and smell no evil. Admittedly, a few governments have taken timid measures. In Britain, for instance, cigarette advertising has been banned on television. The conscience of the nation is appeased, while the population continues to puff its way to smoky, cancerous death.

You don’t have to look very far to find out why the official reactions to medical findings have been so lukewarm. The answer is simply money. Tobacco is a wonderful commodity to tax. It’s almost like a tax on our daily bread. In tax revenue alone, the government of Britain collects enough from smokers to pay for its entire educational facilities. So while the authorities point out ever so discreetly that smoking may, conceivably, be harmful, it doesn’t do to shout too loudly about it.

This is surely the most short-sighted policy you could imagine. While money is eagerly collected in vast sums with one hand, it is paid out in increasingly vaster sums with the other.  Enormous amounts are spent on cancer research and on efforts to cure people suffering from the disease. Countless valuable lives are lost. In the long run, there is no doubt that everybody would be much better off if smoking were banned altogether.

Of course, we are not ready for such drastic action. But if the governments of the world were honestly concerned about the welfare of their peoples, you’d think they’d conduct aggressive anti-smoking campaigns. Far from it! The tobacco industry is allowed to spend staggering sums on advertising. Its advertising is as insidious as it is dishonest. We are never shown pictures of real smokers coughing up their lungs early in the morning. That would never do. The advertisements always depict virile, clean-shaven young men. They suggest it is manly to smoke, even positively healthy! Smoking is associated with the great open-air life, with beautiful girls, true love and togetherness. What utter nonsense!

For a start, governments could begin by banning all cigarette and tobacco advertising and should then conduct anti-smoking advertising campaigns of their own. Smoking should be banned in all public places like theatres, cinemas and restaurants. Great efforts should be made to inform young people especially of the dire consequences of taking up the habit. A horrific warning – say, a picture of a death’s head – should be included in every packet of cigarettes that is sold. As individuals we are certainly weak, but if governments acted honestly and courageously, they could protect us from ourselves.

Glossary

accuse- to say that you believe someone is guilty of a crime or of doing something bad

admittedly- used when you are admitting that something is true

aggressive- very determined to succeed or get what you want

alone- only; just

altogether- completely

appease- to make someone less angry or stop them from attacking you by giving them what they want

associate- to make a connection in your mind between one thing or person to another

authorities- the people or organizations that are in charge of a particular country or area

better off- happier, improved, more successful, etc.

bronchial- affecting the bronchial tubes in the lung

campaign- a series of actions intended to achieve a particular result relating to politics or business, or a social improvement

commodity- a product that is bought and sold

conceivably- used to say something is able to be believed or imagined

concerned- worried

conduct- do; perform

conscience- the part of your mind that tells you whether what you are doing is morally right or wrong

consequence- something that happens or exists because of something that happened before

deceive- to make someone believe something that is not true

definite- that will happen in a way that someone has said

depict- to something or someone in writing or speech, or to show them in a painting, picture, etc.

dire- extremely serious or terrible

discreetly- carefully because you do not want to offend, upset, or embarrass people or tell secrets

do- used to say that something will be enough or be acceptable

drastic- extreme and sudden

entire- whole; all of

facilities- rooms, equipment, or services that are provided for a particular purpose

for a start- firstly; to begin with

for instance- for example

horrific- extremely bad, in a way that is frightening or upsetting

hypocrisy- when someone pretends to have certain beliefs or opinions that they do not really have

insidious- spreading gradually without being noticed, and causing serious harm

lukewarm- not showing much interest or excitement

measure- action

revenue- money that the government receives from tax

short-sighted- not considering the possible effects in the future of something that seems good now

shout about something- to speak about someone or something that is remarkable, noteworthy, or important

staggering- extremely great or surprising

take up- to start to do something

tax- to charge a tax on something

timid- not having courage or confidence

togetherness- the pleasant feeling you have when you are part of a group of people who have a close relationship with each other

utter- complete – used especially to emphasize that something is very bad, or that a feeling is very strong

virile- having or showing traditionally male qualities such as strength, courage, etc. – used to show approval

wishful thinking- when you believe that what you want to happen will happen, when in fact it is not possible

Collocations

a definite link between A and B

accuse someone of something

suffer from something

bad case of wishful thinking

be in good company

raise a subject

hear/see no evil

take measures (to do something)

appease someone’s conscience

puff your way to death

look far to see/find out/etc.

lukewarm reactions

reaction to something

to tax a commodity

a tax on something

point something out discreetly

it doesn’t do to shout too loudly about it

short-sighted policy

eagerly collect money

vast sums of money

enormous amounts of money

there’s no doubt that

drastic action

be concerned about

conduct campaigns

staggering sums of money

insidious advertising

cough up your lungs

that would (never) do

associate something with something else

utter nonsense

make efforts

inform someone of something

dire consequences

take up a habit

protect someone from something