Reference no: EM133699371

Problem: Having read a lot this week about the dangers and health consequences of repeated tobacco use, and taking into consideration that hundreds-of-thousands of people die every year from smoking, why is it still legal? Who benefits? Given the state of our economy, and the way our health care system is setup, are we capable of providing health care for chronically-ill smokers, who may not have insurance, at a cost of about $75 billion annually? Should the tobacco companies bear more of the burden financially for the health care of people who use their products, as some have suggested, or do you feel that is going a step too far? Does it make sense to schedule tobacco as we do other substances and start locking up people who use it? Why or why not? As tobacco use has declined sharply over the last decade, have you noticed an increase in the stigmatization of those who still to smoke, and if so, what does that look like? Finally, in your own life, what are the strongest motives which drive you to either engage in using tobacco products or not, and are those forces sociological/cultural in nature?