Smoking in the United StatesIf cigarettes were banned in the United States, the government could direct money currently used to pay medical bills to more necessary causes. Instead of this money being used for illnesses knowingly caused by the smoker themselves, this money could be used to find a cure for illnesses that cannot be prevented. Perhaps the saddest effect of smoking is on pregnant smokers and their babies. When pregnant women smoke, their babies are also forced to smoke. Many women start smoking at a young age and find it difficult to quit, even during pregnancy. Information provided by Health Watch describes smoking as a harmful gas and deadly substance that passes into the baby's bloodstream from the mother's bloodstream (2). This selfish act on the part of the mother can result in stillbirth miscarriage (SIDS). When a pregnant woman smokes, the various chemicals, including nicotine and carbon monoxide, also affect the baby. "These chemicals have a direct effect on the growth of the fetus. The more the mother smokes during pregnancy, the more the weight of the newborn decreases. Smoking increases the risk (by more than 50% in light smokers and by much more 100% in small smokers) that the baby's weight will be less than 2,500 grams" (Tye 6). The more a pregnant woman smokes, the greater her risk of placental abnormality and excessive bleeding. Additionally, nicotine can decrease light production and make successful breastfeeding more difficult (Taylor 8). .....ch, it prevented heart disease, compared to children living in non-smoking homes (Rumph 20). Additionally, “girls whose parents smoked had a lower ability to carry oxygen in the blood, while boys had lower testosterone levels than children living in non-smoking homes” (Houston 121). Although some progress has been made to reduce second-hand smoke in public places, it is not enough. There are no laws to protect people on the streets or innocent children in their homes. The only way to protect innocent non-smokers is to ban the sale of cigarettes, so there is no second-hand smoke at all. Cigarettes are harmful to everyone. They lead to addiction, life-threatening illnesses, birth complications and death. Cigarettes create economic problems due to the high costs the government has to pay for medical bills. cigarettes don't benefit anyone, they only harm.