Persuasive Essay About Smoking: Examples, Angles & Tips

Tips for Writing Your Smoking Essay (That Actually Make a Difference)

Here are some tips that will help you craft a powerful essay on this topic.

1. Pick a falsifiable position

Don't write "smoking is bad." Write "smoking in restaurants should be federally banned" or "tobacco companies should be held liable for addiction in minors." A real position is one that someone could argue against.

2. Address the personal freedom counterargument directly

This is the main pushback you'll face on almost any smoking essay. Don't ignore it. Acknowledge that people have a right to make choices about their own bodies, then explain why that right doesn't extend to harming others through secondhand smoke, or why addiction undermines the idea of "free" choice.

3. Use the health-economics-society framework 

The strongest smoking arguments hit three levels: the physical harm (health), the financial burden on public systems (economics), and the social harm to families and communities (society). Three dimensions of harm are harder to dismiss than one.

4. For a persuasive speech, structure is different 

Open with one shocking stat delivered without context, let it land before you explain it. Don't read from a script. End with a specific, actionable ask: "Sign this petition," "Talk to one person you know who smokes," "Support your city's public smoking ban." Vague endings lose the audience.

5. Only cite government or peer reviewed sources 

CDC, WHO, the US Surgeon General, and published academic studies are your credibility anchors. Your teacher knows the difference between a government health study and a wellness blog. Cite the right sources, and your argument immediately has more weight.

What Angle Should Your Smoking Essay Take?

Most students write "smoking is bad for your health" and call it a position. That's not a position, it's a fact. The strongest persuasive essays argue something that someone could reasonably push back on.

Here are five angles worth arguing, each one specific enough to build a real case:

1. Smoking should be banned in all public places: a legal and social argument about the limits of personal freedom when it harms others
2. The tobacco industry is responsible for teen addiction: a systemic argument targeting corporate practices over individual choice
3. Secondhand smoke is a public health violation, not a personal choice: a rights-based argument that reframes the debate around non-smokers
4. Smoking bans save healthcare costs and lives: an economic and policy argument backed by data
5. Quitting smoking is harder than people think, and current support systems are failing: an empathy-driven argument calling for better public health intervention

Pick the angle your evidence supports strongest, not just the one that feels most obvious. "The most persuasive smoking essays don't just say 'smoking is bad', they argue a specific claim that others might reasonably disagree with."

Persuasive Essay Examples About Smoking

The examples below are organized by angle so you can find one that matches your position. Each includes a brief note on what the essay does well and why it's worth studying.

Key Stats and Facts to Use in Your Smoking Essay

One of the biggest weaknesses in student smoking essays is vague claims, "smoking kills millions," without any specifics. Strong essays use real numbers from credible sources. Here are statistics you can cite directly:

• 8 million deaths per year from tobacco use worldwide (World Health Organization)
• 480,000 deaths annually in the US are caused by cigarette smoking, that's 1 in 5 deaths (CDC smoking statistics)
• 41,000 non-smoker deaths per year in the US from secondhand smoke exposure (CDC)
• 80% of adult smokers started smoking before age 18 (US Surgeon General)
• $300 billion, the estimated annual US cost of smoking-related illness and lost productivity (CDC)
• At least 12 types of cancer are caused by smoking, not just lung cancer (CDC)

Cite the original source in your essay using APA or MLA format, not a secondary website. Link the statistic directly to your argument; don't just drop numbers and move on. "Strong smoking essays don't just argue, they use real data to make their case impossible to ignore."

Conclusion

Smoking remains a serious public health issue that affects not only individuals but also families and communities. A persuasive essay on smoking should clearly highlight the health risks, financial costs, and social consequences while presenting strong, evidence-based arguments.

By addressing counterarguments and reinforcing the long-term benefits of prevention and awareness, writers can create a compelling case for change.