Smoking should be banned !

        According to Farlex (2011), the definition of smoking is the inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco encased in cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Casual smoking is the act of smoking only occasionally, usually in a social situation or to relieve stress. A smoking habit is a physical addiction to tobacco products. Many health experts now regard habitual smoking as a psychological addiction, too, and one with serious health consequences (Farlex 2011). Smoking is a hard habit to break because tobacco contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance which could get you addicted. Like drugs, a person’s body and mind quickly become so used to the nicotine in cigarettes that a person just need to have it in order to feel normal (The Nemours Foundation 2011). Smoking can risk everyone’s life regardless of age, gender, residency or occupation.  Many people have quit smoking and many countries have banned people from smoking in public places.

            There are many reasons on why smoking should be banned. Firstly, smoking exposes non-smokers to second hand smoke (Juggle 2010). Smoking affects non-smokers more than smokers. Smoking may also cause serious health problems and it can also cause fatality in some cases because of the substances used to make cigarettes like nicotine and lead. Besides that, smoking can make others who do not smoke feel sick when they breathe in the smoke because they are not used to the smell of it. The number of heart patients has decreased since there were smoke bans in some areas in certain countries (Juggle 2010). In some countries, when the government ban smoking in public places, several people took the plunge to quit smoking because they find it difficult to find a place to smoke (Buzzle 2011). This shows that the smoke ban was successful after all. The government should also ban smoking because it poses the possibilities of influencing the mind of children as well. This would lead to the increase of number of smokers if immediate action was not taken.

           

            Other advantages of banning smoking are smoking makes a person easily depressed and get anxiety attacks. This is because when you smoke cigarette, it causes changes in the respiratory function (Wikipedia Foundation 2011). Besides that, another bad effect on an individual’s body when being constantly exposed to smoke is that it has harsh effects on the individual’s skin (3FC 2008). An even better reason on why smoking should be banned because according to BioMed (2011) the percentage of non-smoker is higher than the percentage of smokers so non-smokers have the right to have clean air. Smoking can affect the overall stamina because when a person smokes; their lungs are weakened, making exercise difficult (3FC 2008). This could lead to obesity in some cases. According to Demand Media (2011), the loss of exercise can also result in higher weight and cholesterol levels, which puts you at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.

            There are also disadvantages on why smoking should be banned. Firstly, smoking suppresses ones appetite therefore the person can lose weight. This happens because smoking speeds up the metabolism rate which burns the calories quicker and smokers are able to maintain a slim figure (3FC 2008). Smoking calms a person’s nerves when the person is under stress and that keeps them focused. When a person is in stress, doing something they like or interested in would help them to release tension and it also makes them happy. Besides, smoking helps people think more clearly because when they smoke, it makes them feel refreshed. Smokers tend to take more breaks than an average worker. Taking frequent breaks makes a person less tired and makes their brain work more efficiently. Smoking also builds social bonding because smokers tend to smoke together (3FC 2008). In addition, the government makes a lot of tax from the sale of cigarettes (Buzzle 2011). In certain countries, this amount has dropped since the ban. Smoking is legal so the government has no right to stop them.

            In conclusion, I agree that smoking should be banned as it is very dangerous for health. Smoking is not good for health and its also wasting people’s money. There are many other things a person could do instead of smoking which is even more worth it and cheap. People could chew chewing gums, read a book, breathe deeply, do some exercise or they could also take up a new constructive and interesting hobby. This would be better rather than smoking. All those activities could make you healthier and happier whereas smoking could take your life anytime. I also agree that the prices of cigarettes should be increased. When prices increase, people will think twice before buying it as they are going to lose a lot of money if they buy it. There are many public places around the world which ban smokers from smoking as it may risk the life of others but stubborn smokers still continue to smoke. In my personal opinion, the government should impose a heavy fine on stubborn smokers who still want to smoke in public.
Only then smokers would take the responsibility to care for other people’s life too when they are in public by not smoking. One should be blamed for themselves to start smoking. Individuals should learn how to differentiate what is right and what is wrong for them. They are grown up so they should know the advantages and disadvantages of smoking rather than regretting later part of their life. Smoking is not one of the ways to release stress and tension in life. In fact, there are hundreds and thousands of ways to reduce stress. In order to release stress, one could call up a friend, meditate, go for a walk or do something interesting. There are many reasons for a person to stop smoking and many ways to quit smoking. The government should raise up the price of the cigarette very high or ban smoking around the world. This would surely reduce the number of deaths caused by smoking and other diseases caused by smoking. Therefore, I totally agree that smoking should be banned.

++COPYRIGHT STEPHANIE NYSSA GOMEZ++

Euthanasia - Should it be legalised ?

++COPYRIGHT STEPHANIE NYSSA GOMEZ++

                        Euthanasia means the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefits (Schindler 2011). If death is not intended, then it’s not called euthanasia. Euthanasia is usually done to end or escape pain and suffering of the patient’s life. Another word for euthanasia is Mercy Killing. There are many types of euthanasia which are voluntary euthanasia, non-voluntary euthanasia, involuntary euthanasia, assisted suicide, physician assisted suicide, euthanasia by action and euthanasia by omission. 

                        Euthanasia should be legalised. This is because it’s the person own request so we should accept that as they have been suffering for a long time. We don’t know what they are going through and what their feelings are while going through the suffering. We should put our self in other’s shoe. Then we can know how the patients who suffer feel. The patients who request for euthanasia usually because they cannot take the pain any longer, they don’t want to burden others or they have lost hope in continuing his or her life. If we force them to continue to live, what kind of life would that be for them. An unwanted life full of sufferings and sadness. It doesn’t mean that everyone should be supporting suicide here. Euthanasia and suicide is completely different.  Suicide as defined by Desai (2008) means an act or instance of intentionally killing oneself. Mostly, it’s because of depression. Euthanasia or mercy killing is committed on the basis of medical reasons, where the death of a terminally ill person is brought about by another person, who believes that such person’s existence is so bad that he or she would be better off dead; also when his actions are based on the conviction that unless he intervenes and ends the ill person’s life, it shall become so bad that he or she would be better off dead.

                        Secondly, euthanasia should be legalised because it’s the right of a competent, terminally ill person to avoid excruciating pain and embrace a timely and dignified death to avoid unendurable pain (Answers Corporation 2011). If there is already no other way or medication to cure the person or if the person has been in the same state for a long time, what should they be waiting for? All religions believe in God and miracles. Yes, and people also believe that maybe that patient would one day get healthy and walk around like a normal person. For the person who is waiting for the patient to get well they don’t feel anything. All they feel is hope and faith. What about that poor, sickly patient who is lying on the bed for a long time not being able to do anything? Wouldn’t they feel useless not being able to conquer their own body? They have to be dependent on other people for a long time and in some cases maybe for the rest of their life. For example, Dianne Pretty was suffering from motor neurone disease and wanted to die. She and her husband petitioned the courts to give immunity from prosecution to her husband if he were to help her to kill herself. He did not get immunity, the disease took its inevitable course, and Dianne Pretty died in hospital under exactly the sort of conditions she had wanted to avoid (rsrevision 2011).

                        Thirdly, euthanasia should only be done if the person requests it. It shouldn’t be done without the person’s permission. The family members, relatives, friends, physician or doctor neither of them have the rights to take the patient’s life without his or her permission. It’s the patient who is going through the sufferings so they are the one who know whether they can still go through all the pain and hope for the best or the pain is too unbearable that they just want to die. Priority should be given to the patients.

                        In conclusion, euthanasia should be legalised but there should be very strict guidelines before a euthanasia request could be filed. There is no point of waiting for the person to die or heal if there is nothing the doctors can do about it. They patient should be given euthanasia if they really request it and their condition is really bad. Euthanasia should be done to make the person’s excruciating pain end immediately.

++COPYRIGHT STEPHANIE NYSSA GOMEZ++

New Year 2013

Hey ! Its been a real long time since I updated my blog. Well holidays make me busy besides Christmas and New Year is something that I would never miss ! I had an awesome Christmas+New Year but when its time to get back to college on 7th January.... I was like "Can I have more holidaysss please ??!" But yeah life have to go on. 

I didn't like the fact that we had to start our new sem with new classmates ='( I really miss my old class"es" especially the Shellianz that I really love and adore . They were the best ! How could I ever forget the sweet memories I had with them . Winning competitions, decorating class till late at night, eating together at Mamak, watching horror movies whenever we had free time and teasing each other . 

When we have it, we will never realize what we have but when its gone, that's when we will miss it the most ! 

But God is with me always ! Eventhough I didn't like the fact that they shuffled the classes, I really love my new tablemates: Syu, Ida, Jan and Jingle . They are all caring and funny at the same time . Makes me stress-free . That doesn't mean I'll forget my ex-tablemates: Yana, Ainaa, Syafna, Zura, Azie, Tengku and Nicole who were also awesome . They all had their own speciality . 

Btw my new year resolution was to reduce fast foods so that I can lose weight . So I challenged myself not to eat fast foods for one month . And the result ?? Instead of losing weight.. I gained weight ! WTH ! Arghhhh I'm so tensed up but maybe its also because I don't exercise . My fault too . Hahaha.. whatever sometimes I don't really give a damn about my weight LOL . So that's it for now and till we meet again :  Je t'aime =) À bientôt .