Table of Contents
BEST IELTS Writing Task 2, 18th August
IELTS WRITING TASK 2
IELTS WRITING TASK 2
The dangers of smoking are well known, yet many people continue with this habit. What are the causes of this? How can we reduce smoking in society?
SAMPLE ANSWER
All cigarette packs carry stark warnings concerning the health risk, but from my experience, most smokers remain unconcerned, if not oblivious. Given this, understanding their propensity for this unhealthy habit is important, as too is knowing ways to encourage quitting, and here I will explore both of these aspects.
One reason smokers ingest the nicotine is obvious – they are compelled to do so, being addicted to what is, in fact, a very powerful drug. These people may have experimented with cigarettes in their youth, or succumbed to peer-group pressure or the security which comes from controlling the curling strands of smoke. Adolescents are often easy prey to such insidious influences, yet even a short-term dalliance can result in a psychological dependence and lifetime commitment for those without the necessary willpower.
Another leading cause of smoking is the relaxation and stress-relief it undoubtedly brings. Navigating the maze of an increasingly complex, faster-moving, and technologically advancing world takes an inevitable toll. In the same way some go jogging and others drink coffee, so too would smokers defend their practice as a cheap and convenient method to unwind and re-charge at opportune moments. In this sense, it may even be necessary, helping them cope with life’s relentless vicissitudes and burdens.
Given the obstinacy with which smokers cling to their beliefs, the best anti-smoking approach would be to target potential users by de-glamorising the habit. Advertising campaigns are commonly used for this purpose in my country, but similarly, there needs to be regulation concerning the portrayal of cinematic smoking, to discourage impressionable youths from emulating their on-screen idols. I have still observed many scenes where actors puff and posture with enough pseudo-sophistication and suave theatricality to make this smelly cancer-inducing indulgence seem positively desirable. It is precisely the opposite image which must be cultivated.
