The constant smell of smoke around the city always seems to cause me allergic reactions. I know I’m not the only one with this problem; therefore, I’d like to fix it. Smokers don’t realize that they are not only hurting themselves, but the people around them too. Over 400,000 Americans die because of smoking each year; Secondhand smoke kills about 50,000 of the 400,000. (Guilfoyle.) A lot of people who don’t even smoke are affected by smoking and there’s no way to stop it. With medical expenses getting higher every year, a lot of people don’t get the proper treatment so they end up dying for something that is not even their fault. Because smoking kills so many people every year, I think smoking should be banned in the city. Smoking has become a real problem, not only in America, but worldwide. Every year the number of smokers increases; therefore the deaths increase. Even though this problem is worldwide I consider it to be a very local problem too. The reason I consider it to be local is because it affects myself and a few other people I know. I shouldn’t have to deal with my allergies reacting every time I smell smoke. I myself am not a smoker, even though I could legally smoke, because I care about my health. There are a lot of people like me who don’t smoke but still get affected by the secondhand smoke, and I think it’s about time someone does something about it. If smoking was banned in local places within the city, I think the city would be a much better and healthier place. Asking to ban smoking in the city is a huge problem because I’m sure a lot of people wouldn’t agree. If we started at local places, like my school campus, I think the ultimate goal could be accomplished. Why do people even smoke? I know everyone has their own personal reason for smoking but the effects are all the same. Smoking cause’s lung caner, heart diseases, strokes, it can shorten your life by ten years and the habit can cost thousands of dollars every year. (“Smoking”) A pack of cigarettes is about $5.29, and I know people who can easily buy about 3 packs a week. (Guilfoyle.) That’s about $16 a week, and by the end of the month you could have spent about $60 on cigarettes alone. In America, the annual health care expenditures for smoking related accidents are $96 billion. (Guilfoyle.) Not only do people spend a lot of money on the cigarettes but they also pay for medical expenses. A lot of the people who smoke know the effects but still continue to do it anyway because it’s an addicting habit. You’d think that your health and money especially would be enough of a reason to stop, but unfortunately not every one thinks like that. Trying to get rid of the smoking problem isn’t an easy thing as I can see here at my local school campus. Smoking has been banned on campus, but everyday I’ll see one or two people smoking. This problem really bothers me because on campus they give tickets for many other things. For example, I’m sure almost every student/staff member at UTB has gotten a parking ticket. Parking tickets are given out like crazy, and we can never run away from them. If we decide not to pay for those tickets there are major consequences that effect out education. Not paying for a simple ticket can stop you from enrolling in classes, getting a parking permit, getting your transcripts, etc. Once we get a ticket we learn to not make the same mistake again because having to pay for something that was unnecessary is really frustrating. If students who are seen smoking on campus got tickets for doing so I’m sure a lot more students would stop. If we start with the problem in local places like a school, I’m sure that in time banning smoking from public places in the city can be possible. Some public places here in Brownsville have already taken the initiative for solving this problem. Both of the hospitals here have prohibited smoking within the building and outside, for patients, staff, and visitors. Another possible solution for