Japan  IS  Not  A  Smokers  Paradise    

By:  Moka  Gagnon      

Ewww,  Isn’t   it   disgusting  when   you  walk   into   your  favorite  restaurant  and  smell  smoke?  Don’t  you  hate   it  when  people  smoke?  Doesn’t   it  make  your  eyes  water,  your  nose  twitch  and  your  mouth  go  dry  when  you  pass  someone  who  smokes?    I   look   around   me   in   Tokyo   and   see   about  one   third   of   the   people   in   Japan   smoking.  There  are  smoking  rooms,  cigarette-­‐vending  machines,   ashtrays   on   the   streets   –   it’s   a  smokers’  paradise.       Did  you  know  that  Japan  is  in  the  top  ten  countries’   that  smoke?  Japan   is   the  7th,  but   that   is   still   very   bad.   The  more   people  smoke   the   more   people   who   don’t   smoke  and   the   people   who   smoke   will   eventually  get   sick.   The  people  who  do   smoke  need  a  right  education  so  they  know  not  to  smoke.    About   1/5   of   the   people  who   smoke   don’t  even   know   that   it   could   kill   you.   See  Nicotine  is  put  into  the  cigarette  and  makes  you   addicted   to   smoking.   Smoking  will   not  make  you  cool  even  though  your  friends  do  it   don’t.   It   is   bad   I   mean   it   will   rot   your  teeth,   damages   lungs,   make   your   eyes  water,   sore   throat,   irregular  heartbeat,  and  will   even   make   you   die   if   you   have   too  much.    This   is  what   Rikako   Ashley   Kent,   A   student  at   The   School   American   School   In   Japan(  ASIJ)  has  to  say  about  smoking,  Smoking   is   really   bad!   It   is   very   rude   to  people  who  are  trying  to  eat.  It  is  really  bad  for  your  health  and  it  can  cause  cancer.  Why  do  people  smoke  even  though  they  know  it  

is   very   bad   for   their   health?   My   parents  don’t  smoke  so  when  other  people  smoke  it  makes  me  want   to  grab   their   cigerrate  and  throw   it   away   because   of   such   bad   smell  and  that  even  if  we  don’t  smoke  but  breath  it   in   we   could   also   get   sick.   When   I   see   a  really  beautiful  lady  and  I  see  her  smoking  I  think  what   a  waste   of   life.   She  might   even  die!  I  am  sooooooo  against  smoking.       Also   Ann-­‐Li   Hitosugi,   another  student  at  ASIJ  I   think   smoking   is   really   unhealthy.   People  who   smoke   think   it   is   great,   but   that’s   not  right.   They   may   be   having   fun,   but   their  lungs  aren’t  happy.  If  these  people  keep  on  smoking,   the   worst   thing   is   that   they   may  die   L!   It’s   also   very   rude   to   the   people  around   them   who   want   to   breath   in   fresh  air.   How   would   YOU   like   it   if   you   were  eating  and  all  you  can  smell  is  smoke?       Mrs.   Hull,   our   school   nurse,   Hates  smoking  she   is  really  really  against  smoking  and  this  is  what  she  has  to  say  about  it.  It  smells  very  gross  I  just  can’t  describe  it.  It  is  bad   for  you   in  every  way.   I   feel   so  yucky  and  disgusted.  I  fell  very  sorry  for  the  some  people   who   smoke   because   they   don’t  know  that   it   is  very  bad  and  bad  for  others  to  even   if   they  don’t  smoke.  The  thing  that  really   irritates   me   is   the   smell.   I   soon   as  someone   smokes   I   try   to   finish   what   I   am  doing   and   go   somewhere   else   so   I   don’t  inhale   the  smoke.   I   think   that   some  people  need  more   education   so   they   know   not   to  smoke.     The   smell   is   very   bad.   I   don’t   like  

smoking!   I   don’t   smoke   cigars  or   cigarettes  because   they  are  both  bad   for  your  health.  Some   people   smoke   80   cigarettes   a   day  sense  they  don’t  have  the  right  education  to  do  the  right  thing.  I  am  totally  totally  against  smoking.     If   I   could   stop   smoking   I   would  make   a   lesson   in   every   school   all   about  smoking   and   drugs   so   kids   don’t   do   what  other  bad  people  do.  I  am  against  smoking!         I   interviewed  my  whole   class   which  is   18   and   17   people   did   mind   if   someone  around  them  lit  a  cigarette.  Would  you  mind  if  someone  lit  up  a  cigarette  around  you?  If  you  stop  now  you  could  probably  live  longer  instead   of   suffering.   Just   ask   yourself   “Do  you   think   smoking   is   a   bad   idea   or   a   good  idea?”           Mrs.   Gail   Lanier,   the   high   school  health   teacher,   has   some   words   about  smoking.  I  am  allergic  to  tobacco  smoke.  My  eyes  get  a   little   itchy  when   people   around  me   start  smoking.  I  am  wondering  why  people  smoke  

when   basically   everyone   knows   why  smoking  is  bad.  I  think  the  people  over  60  I  understand  they  smoke  because  they  didn’t  have   the   right   education.   When   people  smoke   they   get   disease,   cancer   on   voice  box,  cancer,  lung  cancer,  emphysema  (holes  in  lungs),  heart  disease.  I  would  be  irritated  if   someone   lights   a   cigarette   next   to   me  because  I  am  allergic  and  it  is  rude.  I  would  teach  people  about  tobacco,  the  diseases  it  causes,   the   knowledge   and   everything   so  people  know  that  there  are  risks.         The   next   time   you   go   out   to   buy  some  cigarettes  why  don’t   you  go  get  your  favorite   candy,   fruit,   or   vegetable   instead.  When   you   want   to   light   up   a   cigarette,  DON’T  because  you  know  now  that  it  is  very  bad  for  your  health.  And  if  you  see  someone  smoking   do   the   person   a   favor   and   tell  him/her   to   stop.   You   will   be   making   the  world  a  better  place  if  you  quit  smoking  and  help  other  people  to  quit  smoking  too!    

Stop Smoking!