The dangers of smokingSmoking has a very negative impact on people's health and causes serious long-term and short-term health problems, both for smokers and non-smokers. smoking. The act of smoking began centuries ago. Today, many people still smoke, knowing that it can lead to serious health problems and even death. Smoking has existed since the dawn of time. It is not known exactly how the practice of tobacco originated, but it is certain that the ancient Mayan Indians and Aztecs of Central America smoked tobacco. Before the invention of cigarettes, tobacco was consumed by chewing, in pipes, in cigars and also made into powder for snorting. The first cigarettes were rolled by hand, until the United States invented automatic cigarette rolling machines. This allowed smoking to spread around the world even more quickly than before. In the 16th century, tobacco was also used for medicinal purposes. Although tobacco was used for medicinal purposes, doctors did not approve of the idea of ​​using it for smoking. When the dangers of tobacco were discovered, many countries passed anti-smoking laws. In the United States, the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act was passed. This law was passed following a report from the surgeon general stating that smoking causes lung cancer and other deadly diseases. Smoking was also banned in twelve US states, but people ignored the laws. Many people start smoking at a young age. “Statistics show that about 9 out of 10 tobacco users start before the age of 18” (“Smoking” 1). There are many reasons why people start smoking. Some people start smoking to fit in. They may have friends who smoke and will feel left out if they don't smoke with... middle of paper ...... children who are not exposed to second-hand smoke. . Wheezing and coughing are more common in children who breathe second-hand smoke. They also suffer from severe and frequent asthma attacks that can be life-threatening. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 40% of children who go to the emergency room for asthma live with smokers. Passive smoking can also cause asthma in children without a history of asthma. Children who live with smokers may also have more ear infections and often need surgery to remove fluid from their ears. Knowing that smoking can cause health problems not only to the smoker, but also to non-smokers. are still risking their lives on this in the first place. Quitting smoking can be a very long and difficult process. It is better not to start considering all the damage this can cause to health.