15. Give an account of current views on smoking in Britain and the usa. (tape)

To begin with, I would like to say that for many people smoking is associated with good living; they think social contacts are made easier and it brings many psychological benefits: relieves stresses of everyday life, provides consolation when we are worried, excited, or bereaved.

Nevertheless, smoking is a very serious and urgent problem in our society (so-called hot issue) which has been causing debates since the old days.

Today a great amount of people is addicted to smoking and get through about 15 cigarettes a day. It is strange but they seem not to believe what harm they do to their health.

Another point is that smoking is a very common and widespread way for teenagers to demonstrate their individuality and independence from society. They also consider that it can make them look grown-up and cool. They may think it is the way of joining the crowd and standing out in the crowd. However, they are mistaken.

Moreover, there is a strong tendency among children to begin smoking at quite a young age. In addition, the consequences are dreadful and terrible.

I also want to draw your attention to young girls who are addicted to smoking. I personally think that is the most dangerous problem because these girls make two evils: they damage not only their health, but they also run a risk of damage to their unborn children. Later it surprises them why they have disfigured sick children with poor mental development, who very often have heart diseases and need to be operated on just after the birth.

Moreover it sounds strange but many people seem not to believe that there is a definite link between smoking and heart diseases and lung cancer. And smoking damages the brain cells.

So what is it in cigarette smoke that is harmful? Chemical called nicotine is a substance that causes addiction. It is a stimulant that increases the pulse rate and raises blood pressure.

Cigarette smoke also contains tar – a major factor for causing cancer.

And now I want switch your attention to another aspect of this serious problem. He fact is that a majority of smokers don’t feel any guilty in public places where non-smokers have to put up with it, revolt against it and stick up for their rights.

The general trend is that non-smokers are very vehement, very adamant. They usually claim that it is essential to ostracize smokers and put them in separate parts in restaurants or in airplanes or on the whole to ban smoking.

We cannot but admit that to ban smoking after so many hundreds of years of using it is an extremely difficult thing. Moreover, it is unjust, unfair, illegal, ineffective, and discriminating.

To my mind, control of this problem must depend on education – the upbringing of children no matter at home in the family or at school should include the knowledge oh the influence of smoking on people’s health. From my point of view it is the most reasonable and fair method which can solve these problems.