Chapter 1

1. The Medical Letter on the CDC and FDA discusses research indicating that smoking is a greater health risk than previously believed. Robert A. Levy, however, maintains that the government has exaggerated the harmfulness of smoking. Which viewpoint do you think is more convincing? Why?
2. The Mayo Clinic insists that secondhand smoke causes many health problems, especially in children. Jeffrey Hart argues that there is no scientific basis for attributing illness to exposure to secondhand smoke, and that those who insist that secondhand smoke is harmful are doing so to be politically correct. Each author insists that his argument is based on scientific information. Which argument is stronger? Why?
3. Susan Dominus maintains that teens know the health risks involved in smoking but choose to do it anyway because they consider it “cool.” Cancer Weekly discusses research showing that smoking is actually decreasing...