To the editor:

Did you know a person's life is shortened by 12 minutes every time they smoke a cigarette? This shows how dangerous cigarettes are because of the chemicals in them. Some chemicals in them are tar, nicotine and tobacco. Every time I see someone smoking a cigarette, it's just disgusting. Cigarettes turn teeth yellow, make your breath bad and damage your lungs.

Most smokers who have jobs have to leave for a smoke, and they usually smell terrible, even worse to nonsmokers. Secondhand smoke is also highly dangerous to breathe because a nonsmoker breathes in the nonfiltered tip of a cigarette's smoke. Smokeless tobacco is more dangerous than regular cigarettes because all the chemicals are not filtered or clean, that's how people get oral cancer. I feel concerned for others health when someone is smoking a cigarette. It's shocking how dangerous cigarettes are. They are so addicting and people can't quit after their first or second cigarette.

I hate the smell of cigarettes. Smokers start smelling like them and doing stupid things like drinking alcohol. Alcohol is more effective to smokers and it's easier to get drunk or hungover. Also, cigarettes are not allowed in most buildings.

What I hate the most about cigarette smokers is that they litter by throwing their cigarettes on the ground and stepping on them, or sometimes they don't. Adult smokers are noticed by kids and kids are encouraged to smoke. Kids are like, "Hey, look how cool that guy is." Did you know breathing in cigarette smoke is dangerous and is known to cause emphysema and other cancers of the lungs?

Adults aren't the only ones who die from it, teenagers do, too. Most people that are around cigarette smoke for some of their lives are known to get severe asthma. I just want smokers to quit and stay healthy and enjoy the rest of their lives. I also want the environment to become cleaner from less littering.

Drew Lane

Eighth-grade Language Arts student

Amesbury Middle School