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Debate Info

9
19
Yes No
Debate Score:28
Arguments:20
Total Votes:33
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Argument Ratio

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 Yes (7)
 
 No (13)

Debate Creator

arnesen(44) pic



Is it (morally) wrong to smoke cigarettes?

I quit smoking cigarettes some weeks ago, and have no immediate plans to start again. However, if I did, would it be (morally) wrong to do so - or is smoking just another part of life we should be allowed to enjoy, without giving it too much thought?

Yes

Side Score: 9
VS.

No

Side Score: 19
2 points

I'd like to hear the opinion of others before I express any specific stance here, but I have two or more immediate thoughts:

If we consider smoking in light of virtue ethics, it can be argued that it is morally wrong because it - on grounds of issues of health - does not lead to the Good Life (what good is life if one is dead?).

Furthermore, we can also apply consequential ethics. What if we think in utilitarian terms, and for example the premature death of a smoker leads to less happiness than if the natural death of the non-smoker? For that sake, one could argue that an individual level, ones quality of life is lessened in such a way that the enjoyment of smoke does not make up for the health risks.

And of course, although not arguments of an ethical nature, in general smoking is overall bad for your health, it smells and so on.

On the other hand, it's quite enjoyable, and - what if we all are to die anyway; does it then matter if our death is premature or not?

Side: undecided
2 points

It is morally wrong because in the Bible it says our body is God's not really ours so the real question is would God smoke a cigarette NO!!

Side: yes

Yes, we all agree it's wrong to mistreat something valuable. Our body and lives are valuable and smoking is mistreating them so it is morally wrong to smoke.

Side: yes

"Secondhand smoke kills, you know. It’s far worse than the fumes you inhale directly. Take diethylene, one of those nasty carcinogens your doctor might have warned you about on your last visit. Firsthand smoke has between 5.3 and 43 nanograms of diethylene, whereas, secondhand smoke has 680 and 823 nanograms.Then we’ve got quinoline, another effective one, secondhand smoke has 18,000 nanograms; 11 times more than the amount you’re sucking down firsthand. You can make the choice to blacken your lungs, but don’t expect to enforce that on me."

Side: Yes

The answer is "it depends on the sexual act." If the sexual act is moral then smoking a cigarette afterwords is moral. If it's immoral, then smoking a cigarette afterwords is immoral. If you are unmarried and trolling bars for a one night stand, then smoking a cigarette before hand is moral because the stench of cigarette smoke should prevent you from achieving your goal. But if you do manage to succeed then it is immoral because your partner is probably also a smoker and was able to resist your stench and 2 wrongs don't make a right so it's immoral. If you're already married then your partner pretty much has to do you so smoking before hand is moral.

Side: yes

The earth is suffering from overpopulation, and there is apparently an issue with social security. With these two things in mind, isn't it our duty to smoke? Cigarettes usually take a long time to kill someone, and therefore we would only lose a percentage of old people. This would mean less people that are being supported by tax payers through social security or programs like Medicare. Therefore, lower taxes for everybody!

Imagine how much our suffering economy would be stimulated if everyone had more money in their pockets thanks to the lessened need for taxes. We could bring ourselves out of this recession within a generation...by smoking our way out of it.

Side: No

You're starting to think like me ;)

Now I have to come up with something new.... hmmmm.....

Side: No
3 points

Really dumb, but no, it's not immoral. Are you hurting anyone else? No? Then feel free - just please for your own sake know the risk. That's a very painful death. I've lost a couple of good friends to lung cancer, and used to go with my dad to his cancer treatments at the VA. Very, very sad place. You'd talk to people for a few months, and suddenly, they just never came back again. That was about the most depressing experience of my entire life. As dad came down with cancer when I was in jr. high, I guess it had a real effect on me because I've never even thought of taking a puff.

Side: No
arnesen(44) Disputed
1 point

How about this: Some people live their lives, without smoking a single cigarette, yet still they get an terminal illness such as cancer.

Others, however, smoke all their lives, and experience no more illness than the non-smoker.

This is not fully true - but the point is still valid.

Side: undecided

When did we add morality to the list of reasons to not smoke? That happens to be a new one on me! But then again, I come from a generation in which most people did smoke and no one said a darned thing about it. Few people had allergies in general but those who did had their typical seasonal runny eyes and nose. No one had a house or clothes that smelled in a bad way. No one complained about second hand smoke and no one had to go freeze their butts (no pun intended) off in the bitter cold so as not to contaminate a house filled with scented candles or bowls of potpourri. Uhhh, come to think of it we never had that either!

What we did have were homes filled with the mixed aromas of a fine roast in the oven, tons of fresh vegetables on the stove, fresh flowers that actually had a beautiful scent and a house full of company enjoying their various forms of tobacco along with their heavenly scented coffee and home made cakes . Remember the old saying..."It smells like home" and it really did?

It's been an age and a half since I walked into a house like that and wish I could once again. But today we have health worries, outspoken enemies of indoor and outdoor smoke, judgments in all manner of categories and stinky old clothes to boot! I'll bet one thing...that jacket you just bought whose sleeve smells like a tobacco barn on fire will never take the place of your sport socks and sneakers that you just happened to leave out in your room for everyone to wretch at as they pass by! Darn...today's home smells like it's been attacked by the Lysol gang and it's so clean I'd bet you could perform a triple bypass on the kitchen table you never use.

It's my moral duty to smoke cigarettes and blow the smoke up, down or sideways. You'll call me dumb...but I'm not ashamed either...LOL!

Side: No
1 point

No, it's just immoral on the part of insurance companies to raise our health insurance rates to ridiculous amounts to pay for the claims made by smokers.

Side: No

The insurance companies would love for you to believe that but those claims are made by all people and are hardly all from smokers. With all the crap that's floating around in our air haven't you ever wondered why it is that the number of smokers have gone down while the number of allergies in this nation has gone sky high. So too, with other upper respiratory illnesses. The problem goes way, way past smokers! And isn't it funny...I'm 62 years old...I've been smoking for over 45 years...I don't get colds, have never had the flu as an adult and have never had a flu shot or any of the other shots recommended. Life just isn't fair is it?

OOPS...I clicked the wrong button. This rebuttal is meant to OPPOSE.

Side: No
1 point

Now I have the right button! You know what GCSGIRL...I pay for all kinds of things through taxation and medical insurance that have never even touched me. I don't have kids that go to school...but I pay school taxes. I only had one child and paid for that myself with NO insurance coverage almost 42 years ago...but I chipped in when you had your three. The list goes on and on. We all pay for things that don't pertain to us. That's simply the way it is here.

Side: No
1 point

people who smoke tend to work harder and get shit done more... it's a drug that doesn't get you high... AMAZING!

bad for your health though, but who gives a fuck? makes them feel good.

Side: No
arnesen(44) Disputed
2 points

I'd like to see some empirical evidence supporting that...

Side: No
kamranw(232) Disputed
1 point

Are you kidding? Smoke breaks are the number 2 reason for loss of productivity in a workplace(right behind facebook). I do not think smoking in itself is morally wrong unless you are exposing others to the smoke.

Side: Only if you are hurting others
1 point

"People who smoke tend to work harder and get shit done more..."

Failed argument, it just your opinion it has aproximately same value as this sentence : People who like potatos are better than people who don't like them

"...it's a drug that doesn't get you high..."

It doesn't get you high is way marijuana does but it affects your brain condition, it relaxes you, so there is some effect

"bad for your health though, but who gives a fuck? makes them feel good."

I'm fine with this

Side: No
1 point

Is it morally wrong to have sex or commit adultery when in adolescence period??

Side: No

I would not classify smoking cigarettes as "morally wrong." A person does have the right to smoke.

Side: No
0 points

Its not morally wrong at all. Its the smoker's decision how they want to live their life and what values they hold. As long as you be polite and civil about smoking around other people, its perfectly ok.

Side: No