Until recently, cigarettes were never seen as dangerous, with many people being able to smoke in public places. While that seems like something that was so long ago, it was only about 25 years ago that people were allowed to smoke almost anywhere. Many places were modified to give people that option, with restaurants having a smoking section, hospitals having a smoking room at the end of their wards and even at one point schools even having a smoking room. In the early 20th century and before, doctors were convinced, as were people, that cigarettes were, in fact, good for you! It wasn't until 1965, when Congress required all cigarette packages manufactured in the United States to have a health warning. In 1970, they finally made this an announcement by the Surgeon General. Then, in September of 1970, they banned cigarette advertising on the radio and the television. However, cigarettes can still be — and are — advertised in magazines and other outlets like them.

For years, the age of being able to buy and smoke cigarettes was 18, but recently they brought it up to the age of 21. They've also in recent years brought about this new phenomenon called e-cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes are battery-powered smoking devices meant to resemble actual cigarettes. They're filled with nicotine, flavor and other chemicals. A heating device inside turns the liquid into vapor, allowing for the person to inhale. There are specific programs working to cut down on teen smoking and hopefully, smoking overall. The biggest issue being that secondhand smoke exists and it has a large effect on people, which is why smoking is so looked down upon in society.

Being that nicotine is an addictive drug, cigarettes become an addiction really easily. That being said, as e-cigarettes are a way for people to stop smoking actual cigarettes, the US government has realized that maybe they shouldn't keep the same amount of nicotine from regular cigarettes in e-cigarettes. They have proposed to reduce the amount of nicotine in e-cigarettes to a non-addictive amount to allow for people to lose their addiction. Apparently though, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb made this claim regarding nicotine:

"But the nicotine in cigarettes is not directly responsible for the cancer, lung disease, and heart disease that kill hundreds of thousands of Americans each year... it’s the other chemical compounds in tobacco, and in the smoke created by setting tobacco on fire, that directly and primarily cause the illness and death, not the nicotine."

While no one should smoke cigarettes, as they are not good for you, electronic cigarettes are a better and remotely healthier alternative. Not only do electronic cigarettes last longer and they're cheaper, they don't emit as many bad chemicals into your body.