Analysis of Peter Brimelows Thank You for Smoking? Essay example -- S

Analysis of Peter Brimelow's Thank You for Smoking Growing up with a best friend who has been smoking since middle school, I have seen many of the negative effects it has on a person. Football was a passion and way of life for Andy; however, smoking caused him to struggle with breathing while running up and down the field. He would cut down on his daily amount of cigarettes before and during the season, but cutting down was little help for him. Not only was his breathing affected by smoking, but he also had yellow teeth, smoker’s cough, and would get â€Å"the shakes† when in need of a smoke. The essay â€Å"Thank You for Smoking,† written by Peter Brimelow, is far from an influential essay on why people should smoke. Through this essay, he gives many examples as to why â€Å"smoking might be, in some small ways, good for you† (Brimelow 141). A lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, osteoarthritis, and different types of cancer are examples of benefits of smoking given by Brimelow (Brimelow 142). Brimelow compares smoking to driving cars because driving also has risks and can be a cause of death. Would you consider that a wise comparison? If he were going to compare smoking to driving, he would be better off comparing it to something along the same lines such as drinking and chewing tobacco. At least these are also optional habits like smoking, where people chose to do it. Very little, if any, good can come from these, whereas driving is a common action in which accidents can happen. Health Issues: Brimelow states in his article â€Å"Smoking seems also to offer subtler health rewards to balance against its undisputed risks† (Brimelow 142). A few of these include a reduced risk of diseases such as Par... .... This is why we have freedom, and everyone has the right to decide for themselves. Works Cited: Action on Smoking and Health. 4 Oct. 2003 http://www.ash.org.uk/html/factsheets/html/fact02.html American Lung Association. â€Å"Smoking and Pregnancy.† June 2003. 5 Oct. 2003. http://www.lungusa.org/tobacco/pregnancy_factsheet99.html Clark, I. L. (1998). â€Å"Thank You for Smoking†¦?† The genre of argument. Boston:Thompson/Heinle. P. 141-143 Kovac, Rachel. "Study Shows Ignorance of Smoking Hazards." Knoxville News-Sentinel (2003) : Lexus-Nexus. 1 July 2003. McFadden, J. Introduction to Toulmin. Lecture. (Sept. 12 & 14). Buena Vista University. Storm Lake, IA. "Pregnancy and Childbirth," Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2003 http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761557963&pn=1 ¶=3#p3 1997-2003.