92 Paolo Faccini Dori â€v- Recreb Srl (1994) The WritePass Journal

A Critical Analysis of Case C-91/92 Paolo Faccini Dori –v- Recreb Srl (1994) Executive Summary A Critical Analysis of Case C-91/92 Paolo Faccini Dori –v- Recreb Srl (1994) Executive Summary Facts of the Case Decision of the Case Beyond the Approach in FacciniConclusions ReferencesRelated Executive Summary EU directives are considered not to have horizontal direct effect, i.e. the provisions of the European directive cannot be relied upon by private individuals, when it comes to a legal dispute where they have not been transposed by member states into international law. This was the position in the case in question, here, of Faccini and has been largely supported by future case law and academic analysis in this area. Despite this, there have been some cases which argue that there should be a direct effect[1]. Although these have been distinguished on a matter of fact between the position in Faccini and the decisions reached in later cases, it is argued, here, that the basic rule remains current and good law, albeit with an element of uncertainty, particularly where there is an aspect of public law and order and an obligation on the member states, rather than it being downplayed as a purely contractual relationship between the individual parties. Facts of the Case EU Directive 85/577[2] places a requirement on member states to protect consumers when they are entering into contracts which are negotiated away from the business place, for example, over the phone or, more recently, this would apply to internet-based purchases. This offers a right to cancellation and although there is a degree of flexibility offered to member states in how they ensure that consumers are protected in this way (article 4 and article 5 of directive), there are still minimum rights being afforded to consumers in this situation; the precise terms may also vary from member states to member state, in terms of how the consumers are informed of this right. However, fundamentally, the right is still present[3]. In this case, Faccini Dori contracted with Interdiffusion Srl, in order to purchase an English language course. However, she later attempted to cancel the purchase because, in the meantime, the provision of the course had been assigned to Recreb Srl, who then sued Faccini Dori for the cost of the course which she had failed to pay, as she wished to cancel her purchase. Faccini Dori argued that she would have been entitled to cancel the contract, as it had been a business arrangement made outside of the business premises, under the EU directive; however, it was the failure of the Italian government to implement the contents of the directive, which meant that the provisions did not seemingly apply in the case of Recreb Srl. The question, therefore, arose as to whether or not this directive had horizontal directive effect, thus enabling the individual to rely on the directive when dealing with a dispute between two private individuals. The weakness in the Faccini’s argument was b ased on the fact that the directive had not been implemented and the question arose as to whether or not an unimplemented directive can be relied upon as, had it been implemented, it would be part of Italian law in any event. Decision of the Case In this case, relying on the Marshall case, it was held that Faccini could not rely on the directive, as it has not been implemented into Italian law and therefore it was not possible for individuals to apply the rules contained within the directive, as this lacked horizontal directive applicability and could not therefore be used as the basis for a legal action[4]. According to Article 249 (was 189 at the time of the case) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, a European directive is binding on the member states, in terms of achieving the objectives of the directive, but that it is up to member states to determine how this will apply in their jurisdiction. The argument, therefore, arose as to whether or not this means that the directive enables individuals to rely on the concept of the directive in a private action, even where the member state had failed to transpose the directive into national law. In this case, however, it was held that the directive was applicable vertically and could be seen to impose an obligation on the member states, but not be used by individuals in a horizontal plane i.e. between private parties. As noted in the cited case of Marshall[5], the Faccini case relied on this and argued that, whilst it would be possible for private individuals to bring an action against the state for their failure to enact the provisions of the directive, it could not be used as the basis of legal action between the two individuals. Beyond the Approach in Faccini Although the rules laid out in the Faccini case seemed to state clearly that a non-enacted directive could not be relied upon by a private individual, although there has been some future debate as to whether case law has made inroads into this strict position. Case law has developed in this area to such an extent that it creates a situation where it would be possible to have a direct effect or direct link between individuals, even when they have not been transposed into national law[6]. Take, for example, the case relating to CIA Security[7], where an argument arose between three private individuals all of whom were competitors in the provision of security systems. In this argument, it was alleged that CIA Security was not suitably authorised and therefore should not be selling alarm systems, under Belgian law. An argument was presented by CIA that there had been unfair trading practices based on the fact that adopting the requirements to be authorised without notification was a breach of directive 83/189, article 8[8]. It was argued, in this case, that it was possible for the individuals to rely on the provisions of this directive as part of the case of the national court. In this situation, the court held that the provisions of the directive could be relied upon, which seemed to go against the decision in Faccini. As part of the judgement, Advocate Elmer distinguished from the Faccini case by stating that the provisions in directive 83/189 had been written in such a way that there were duties being imposed on the member state, whereas the directive in the Faccini case had placed the requirement on the individuals, alone, and not with the relationship between individuals. A better update emerged in the Unilever case[9]. This case dealt with a contractual relationship between two parties and a boundary dispute between Unilever and Central Food whereby Unilever had been supplying olive oil to Central Food. However, Central Food then took issue with Unilever, given the fact that the oils had not been labelled correctly, so they were no longer in compliance with the appropriate Italian law. As a result, Central Food stated that it would not pay for the oil delivered by Unilever. Unilever’s counterargument was that, although the Italian government had observed certain parts of the provisions of directive 83/189, the actual national law had not taken into account article 9 of the directive and therefore should not have been enacted and should not be applied. In this case, it was held that as the directive had been misapplied and this had resulted in a national standard which was opposed to the directive, national standards could not therefore be applied and could not be enforced against individuals. Certain distinctions were drawn between the Unilever and the CIA case, primarily based on the fact that it was a contractual relationship between the parties and was not linked to arguments associated with unfair trade practices and thus allowed the decisions to be distinguished from the case of Faccini. The difficulty going forward, therefore, is how cases such as the CIA case can potentially create a situation where there is horizontal direct effect to directives allowing private parties to rely upon the provisions of any unimplemented directive, in order to impact on their own personal dispute. On the face of it, therefore, it would appear that the CIA case had indeed created a situation whereby the basic ruling in the Faccini case could be softened. The main argument for this development is that, in the CIA case, there is a public law element, as there had been a failure on behalf of the member state, rather than a pure issue of private law such as contractual relations[10]. Conclusions There are clear difficulties when it comes to reconciling the basic provision laid out in Marshall and the Faccini cases; however, although it has been argued that there is a public law element in the cases which have been decided in a different way from the Faccini case, the net result is that this creates a different relationship between private individuals. Despite this, it is contended here that the basic rule in Faccini, in that the directive does not have horizontal direct effect, and therefore cannot be relied upon as a legal basis for action between private individuals, remains. There is, however, the need to consider cases such as CIA, which can create at least some uncertainty as to whether or not this will be strictly applied, in all situations. References Case C-194/94, CIA Security International SA v. Signalson SA and Securitel SPRL [1996] ECR1-2201, para. 13-15. Case 152/84, Marshall v. Southampton and South-West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) [1986] ECR 723, para. 48. Case C-91/92 Paolo Faccini Dori –v- Recreh Srl (1994) Case C-443/98, Unileverltalia SpA v. Central Food SpA [2000] ECR1-7535. Council Directive (EC) 85/577 Consumer Protection in the Case of Contracts Negotiated Away from Business Premises Council Directive (EC) 83/189 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations Michael. Dougan, The Disguised Vertical Direct Effect of Directives?, The Cambridge Law Journal, 2000, vol. 59(3), pp.586-612 at 587 Paul Craig, Directives: Direct Effect, Indirect Effect and the Construction of National Legislation, EL Rev., 1997, vol. 22, pp.519-538 at 519. Paul Craig and Grainne de Burca, EU Law Text, Cases, and Materials, (3rd Ed., Oxford University Press, United Kingdom 2003), p.202, 203 Stephen Weatherhill, Breach of Directives and Breach of Contract, EL Rev., 2001, vol.26, pp. 177-186 at 182.

the cost to fly today essays

the cost to fly today essays Airline pricing and demand has changed in many ways over the years. From when its infancy in 1926 passenger revenue started out at twelve cents per mile to now in 2004 it is set at fourteen and a half cents per passenger mile. It may seem that the pricing has not changed much; however, when you look at the statistics over the past eighty years, the prices have really fluctuated. Airline pricing hit its all time low in 1945 at four and a half cents per mile, and its record high is currently now in 2004 at fourteen and a half cents. There are many different factors that affect airline pricing. For example, passenger trends and habits change from year to year. The demand for travel also changes. Another price change can come from competitive ad offers. But after analyzing all of the factors, I believe that the main factor for price changes from year to year comes primarily from the airline operating costs. One may separate airline costs in to two main categories: direct operating costs and indirect operating costs. The first category to discuss is direct operating cost. Direct operating cost can be subdivided into three separate groups: flight operations, maintenance and overhaul costs, and depreciation and amortization. To begin with, flight operations include several items. First, the flight crew expenses involving salaries, traveling expenses, allowances, pensions, and insurance for the pilot make up a portion of flight operations. The wages of the flight crew also changes from year to year because of labor agreements and wage negotiations. The second item in flight operations and the most expensive direct operating cost is the use of fuel and oil to power the aircraft. The reason why fuel and oil are the most expensive is because the price of oil continues to fluctuate as well as the increasing demands of oil. The amount of fuel for any given aircraft can vary based on differe nt variables. These variables include the num...

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example The essay or article of Craig Brown was not intended for the medical community because it did not spoke of any revolutionary research or life changing findings in the medical field but rather the dilemma that confronts the physician when they try to extend the life of a patience using the advances in medical technology. He introduced himself and what he does by using metaphors as he narrates the complexity of his job from being an obstetrician â€Å"where fresh-faced tulips are popping up at all hours† (which is not his specialty) to seeing patients of all ages until he touched on taking care for â€Å"threadworn elderly, those facing an eternal winter with no green in sight, is definitely the most difficult thing I do†. He introduced himself as a medical doctor not by enumerating his credentials but rather by narrating in a literary manner the dilemmas he faced as a physician which gave face and feelings to the profession that the readers can easily relate and sympathi ze. In a way, the article was a human interest essay because it emphasized the humane aspect of taking care the elderly from the point of view of a doctor. Dr. Craig Brown’s human interest approach in the article made him more credible both as a doctor and a writer. This is because he showed that he does not only knows his job very well but also knows the human aspect of it and the dilemmas that accompanies in treating patient who are already in their twilight years. His moral stature and credibility became more pronounced that served as an ethos of the article and elevated his stature as an authority who knows the subject as well as the human aspect of it. Thus, it impresses to the reader that he is not only a competent but compassionate as well which made the article close if not endearing to the readers. During the duration of the article, one can readily observe that the essay is replete with heart wrenching scenario in elderly care that the reader can almost feel the bur den of the doctor as he attends to the patient. This is the use of emotion in the article as rhetorical tool of pathos or emotional appeal. After establishing credibility and getting the interest of the reader in his creative and flowery introduction, the author begun narrating his case by capitalizing on the emotional aspect of his job in dealing with elderly who are in their twilight years as the pathos. It is obviously noticeable that even if the author spoke of diseases and medical condition, he did not dwell deep on medical terms but instead used words that are common to the readers such as arthritis, diabetes to avoid distracting the readers with jargon and lose the emotional appeal of the article which explains why the approach was very powerful. The author did not argue by capitalizing on his credentials but persuaded the reader on his point of view by narrating the emotional dilemma that doctors’ feel when attending to these patients that sometimes, living in agony i s worse than death itself. Perhaps the doctor knows that he may be questioned as a practicing physician if he will argue his main point that prolonging life in pain worse than dying itself. As a physician, he is sworn to Hippocratic Oath or in Dr. Craig’s words, he is in a â€Å"do no harm business† and arguing that old people are better off to accept death as they come than suffer a long agonizing life may not

Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Planning models Essay

Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery Planning models - Essay Example The researcher states that there are various models of business continuity. Some of these models include standards, supporting policies and program development.   There are a number of standard bodies that publish business continuity standards. Some of these standards include ISO, North America, Australia and United Kingdom. ISO standards usually specify a management system that will manage an organization’s business continuity. ISO standards also provide advices and guidance concerning the continuity of a business. On the other hand, North America provides continuity programs such as organizational resilience. This involves preparedness, continuity management and security systems. United Kingdom was a business management continuity standard which was divided into two parts. However, it was replaced by ISO standards. The other model of business continuity is program development. This is a management-level process that ensures that appropriate measures are taken regularly to ensure identification of probable disasters, accidents, threats or emergencies. Program development also involves assessing possible effects of such catastrophes, development of recovery plans and, readiness through plan testing and personnel training. Policies are all the things, which the management of an organization has authorized to always be followed and performed in accordance with a present design plan. Policies are  designed  to  support all the functions in an organization.

Reading Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Journal - Essay Example However, this only happens when the people involved can relate or interact in one way or another, subject to the language factor that brings them together. Without language, therefore, personal and social relations and interactions become crippled to some significant extent. The manner in which Hoffman captures these aspects is thrilling. Another interesting factor of language is the development of culture. Notably, Hoffman’s work demonstrates this by showing the relationship between her and Canada, and later the United States. On the same note, her family associates with Canadian culture through language and the sense of belonging that attaches this family to the new country of Canada (Hoffman 219). Every aspect of life exhibited by Hoffman and her family denote the presence and subsequent practice of language and culture. The theme of language and culture is further exhibited as the family gets used to thee Canadian life. This is a new country and a new environment for both Hoffman and the family. The language they knew is foreign in Canada. The culture they were used to is a new phenomenon that does not feature in Canada or the United States. Amid difficulties, Hoffman and her family find it easy to engage Canadian people in conversations due to their ability to overcome language and communication barriers. Persons who once encountered difficulties in language now encounter ease in expressing themselves. In order to fit into the Canadian system of social life, there was need for a change and/or shift in language and culture. Hoffman can now identify with her language and culture in the foreign land, and so does her family. Hoffman made a lifetime decision to have her accustomed to the Canadian way of life. Ultimately, her family took the same course of action. From the Polish way of life, Hoffman and her family undergo a state of language and culture change to embrace the

Eastman Kodak Products

Eastman Kodak Products External analysis of Eastman Kodak Introduction Kodak is the market leader in providing photographic products and services to consumers and commercial customers around the globe for memories, entertainment and information. The company brings inventive and modern products to the market that allows people to take, make and share pictures and experience the magic of photography (History of Kodak, 2008). As the world leader, Eastman Kodak is always looking for talented people. Kodak has continued to expand the ways and images touch peoples daily lives. Kodak is a top supplier of innovative solutions for digital, conventional and blended print production environment (History of Kodak, 2008). Eastman Kodak Company is an American multinational public company which produces imaging and photographic materials and equipment. It is known for its extensive variety of pictorial film products. Eastman Kodak is actually concentrating on two major markets; the first is digital photography and the second is digital printing (About Kodaks Graphic Communications Group, 2008). In Rochester and Jamestown New York, Kodak was founded by George Eastman and businessman Henry Strong. George Eastman as president purchased the stock of American Aristotype Company. In the year 1982, the Eastman Kodak Company was founded. The company is incorporated in New Jersey but has its offices in Rochester, New York. The slogan, You press the button; we do the rest, was given by the founder of the company, George Eastman (About Kodaks Graphic Communications Group, 2008). External analysis of Eastman Kodak Porters five forces Model According to Michael porter, an authority on competitive strategy contends that a corporation is most concerned with the intensity of competition within its industry. The level of this intensity is determined by basic competitive forces like potential entrants, suppliers, buyers and substitutes available. Using this model a high force can be regarded as a threat because it is likely to reduce profits and a low force can be viewed as an opportunity because it may allow company to earn profit. Analysis of Kodak on the basis of Porters Five Force model: Threats of new entrants: In recent years, the growing demand of digital cameras has been attracting many new comers, domestically as well as internationally. The threats of new entrant are always an issue when dealing with new technology. Often, new technology is developed by an individual looking for a better way to do something. These companies are expected to drastically alter the Kodak Companys structure with their technology, scale of operations and brand power. With Xerox, Hewlett-Packard, Lexmark, Sony, Cannon and other major companies has already established in the market, it will be easy for new companies to enter the market and make a substantial impact. Bargaining power of customers: In the camera industry, the bargaining power of customer is relatively limited. Eastman Kodak is entering the consumer printer market which is full of competitors who produce products that allow the consumer to have significant buying power. From the sale of replacement cartridges, most producers rely on their profit margins. The buyers have a lot of power, with the companies producing quality printers at extremely reasonable values and often providing significant discounts. Eastman Kodak is responsive to this and they are launching their product into the consumer printer market. They are also making a play in the commercial printing market where the bargaining power of the buyer is not immense. Bargaining power of suppliers: The bargaining power of suppliers to Eastman Kodak is more significant than its rivals who expand and manufacture their own parts. Eastman Kodak should develop its printers, by using off the projection parts, as to get its printers on the market quicker. Rather than trying to plan everything from scratch, the Kodak Eastman should work with technology partners like SigmaTel, Inc. a chip-design specialist (Hamm, Lee Ante, 2007). This approach will allow the Kodak to develop faster and lower the expansion costs. The confidence for producing the parts of the printers gives the suppliers greater buying power (Hamm, Lee Ante, 2007). As compared to the traditional manufacturing, in the market that expanding and producing own parts may be risky in the long run risky and could pay off for Kodak. Threat of substitutes: Eastman Kodak cannot overlook the manufacturing and launching of their new consumer inkjet printers. Where on the other side, the competitors of company like H-P, Sony, Cannon and Lexmark are relying not on the turnover margin from the printer and handy cameras but they are emphasizing on the profit margin on replacing the cartridges. Eastman Kodak is marketing a quality printer, affordable cartridges, and quality paper combination to produce the highest quality prints (Hamm, Lee Ante, 2007). The concern of the Kodak should be same as HP, Lexmark, and Epson. The emphasis of the major producers of consumer printers should be that the generic replacement cartridges and ink refill market is very strong whereas the cartridges may not produce the same quality as the name brand. The quality differentiation is not adequate to force customers from brand name to general (Hamm, Lee Ante, 2007). Rivalry among competitors: Rivalry among competitors could be the most significant in the Eastman Kodak. Change is rapid and fuming, with the new technology. The bundling of printers with the computers, discounts, and rebates makes this market extremely competitive (Symonds, 2006). Antonio Perez CEO of Eastman Kodak says that he has no individual rivalry with HP, but the fact is that during his 25 successful years at HP, he organized the explosive growth of HPs printer business. HP Company invests nearly $1 billion a year on research and development of printer (Hamm, Lee Ante, 2007). Industry forecaster anticipates HP to sit back and observe till Kodaks new equipments get grip. It is important to look at the political, economic, social, and technological components of the macro-environment, while examining the macro environment. In relation to political issues, Kodak is on par with its competitors (Symonds, 2006). To all the key competitors in the digital printing industry, social and employment legislation, tax policy, the directive and de-regulation trends and trade and tariff controls, and environmental and consumer-protection legislation applies equally (Ramaswamy Namakumari, 2005). Economic factors that must be considered by the Kodak are rate of inflation, tax rates, capital markets and the stage of the business cycle. Eastman Kodak is a well recognized company, with the declining importance on film and an enlarged importance on digital printing; the company is behind the influence curve of their well-known competitors (Symonds, 2006). The other economical issues that Kodak must keep in mind are disposable income, GDP trends, purchasing power and wages/ price control (Ramaswamy Namakumari, 2005). Another economic issue is cost of labor. Kodak has moved much of its labor to Mexico, this can cause decline in the sale as the company concentrates on moving labor outside of the U.S (Hamm, Lee Ante, 2007). The political environment exercises great impact on industry and business. The political factors that Kodak must keep in view are antitrust regulations, environmental protection laws, tax laws, political stability, foreign trade regulations and stability of government. The social considerations in the macro environment of Eastman Kodak are population profiles, public opinion, and cultural changes (Ramaswamy Namakumari, 2005). The social factors which should be kept in view are lifestyle changes, rate of family formation, growth rate f population, age distribution of population. Another significant factors related to social consideration is opinion of public. In the case of Kodak, there are significant issues such as accusations of irresponsible environmental practices due to excessive pollution in the Rochester, NY area (Hamm, Lee Ante, 2007). The technological environment will play a key role in the future of Kodak. The company should emphasize on the new development in technology transfer from lab to marketplace. The company should emphasis on the internet availability, telecommunication infrastructure. Kodak should mainly concentrate on the research and development areas (Hunger Wheelen, 2001). For this, it is important that the research is well led and established with detailed visions and goals. Kodak should enlarge and produce the large number of parts as opposed to other competitors, to be developed and manufactured internally. Conclusion Thus, it can be concluded that the Kodak has the opportunity to be a leading player in the market of digital printing. The Company should carry on with their existing vision to produce printers and cameras that generate the highest quality of prints and construct the printer reasonably priced so as the average consumer afford it to buy (Hunger Wheelen, 2001). With this, the company should persist to expand the latest equipment for the profitable printing market and should try to merge flexibility, speed and quality with each other. To gain the market share, the most essential thing that the company should do is repetitively appraise their actions and procedure to make sure that they are right way. All the most it is important for the members of company to follow the lead of CEO, Antonio Perez. It is necessary that the strategies are timely formulated and implemented and processed forward with research, development, and implementation of new products (Hunger Wheelen, 2001). References About Kodaks Graphic Communications Group, (2008). Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://graphics1.kodak.com/global/about_gcg/default.htm Kazmi, A. (2002). Business Policy and Strategic Management, (2nd Edition), New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited. Hamm, S., Lee, L., Ante, S., E. (2007). Kodaks Moment of Truth; How the ailing film giant, led by a refugee from HP, embarked on a risky strategy to reinvent the inkjet printer. Business Week. New York: February 19, 2007, Issue 4022; page 42. Hunger, J.D. Wheelen, T.L. (2001). Strategic Management and Business policy, (7th Edition). New Delhi: Pearson Education Inc. History of Kodak, (2008). Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/about_Kodak.jhtml?pq-path=2217 Ramaswamy, V.S Namakumari, S. (2005). Strategic Planning Formulation of Corporate Strategy, (5th Edition). New Delhi: Macmillan India Ltd. Symonds, W.C.(2006). Kodak Rewrites the Book on Printing. Business Week. New York: September 4, 2006., Issue 3999; page 83. http://www.hoovers.com/eastman-kodak/ID__10500/free-co-profile.xhtml http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_products_manufactured_by_Kodak http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_products_manufactured_by_Kodak http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=2/6868pq-locale=en_US_requestid=684 Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/kodakHistory/eastmanTheMan.shtml History of Kodak, (2008). Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/about_Kodak.jhtml?pq-path=2217 About Kodaks Graphic Communications Group, (2008). Retreived April 29, 2008 from http://graphics1.kodak.com/global/about_gcg/default.htm

Research Paper †Stop Smoking Essay

Thousands of people worldwide indicate that smoking is addictive and harmful to health, scientific studies, research and other institutional bodies such as the World Health Organization, would support this thesis. Tobacco is responsible for nearly 1 in 3 deaths from cancer, thousands of people die of lung cancer and about 87% of these lung cancer deaths will be due to smoking. This habit not only increases the risk of lung cancer, but also is a factor in various cancers as of: mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, kidney and stomach. It also generates other risks such as heart disease, stroke and respiratory problems. According to the American Lung Association: â€Å"About 8. 6 million people in the U. S. have at least one serious illness caused by smoking†. This means that for every person who dies of a smoking-related disease, there are 20 more people who suffer from at least one serious illness associated with smoking. Likewise, it is well known that the consumption of tobacco also cause bad breath, skin unsightly, smelly clothes and hair among other things that harm our health significantly. We all have the right to do as we please but smoking poisons not only the one who has this bad habit, it also does it to all those who surround him. As Paul Slovic says in his book: Smoking: Risk, Perception & Policy (2001) â€Å"In Addition to the risk to the smoker, smoking endangers the health of those who are exposed to secondhand smoke. † Being exposed to secondhand smoke it is sometimes harmful that even smoking a cigarette, snuff smoke contains 4000 chemicals and 60 of these are carcinogenic it also produce various types of cancer. The polluted air snuff smoke also causes heart disease and many serious respiratory diseases in children and adults that can cause death. An economic impact on the pockets of those who smoke is another reason that makes it so harmful; the cost of smoking is an important part of the monthly budget in these people. The cost of lighting a cigarette can go beyond the risk of getting cancer. If parameter is taken as the price of a pack of Marlboro cigarettes Box of 20 ($ 6. 50), a person who smokes a pack a day spends about $ 45. 50 per week and about $ 2,180 a year. If they instead of smoking decide to invest that amount each year, they will probably build an interesting amount of money for a retirement plan. But that’s not all. The annual bill for smokers also grows in other areas such as life insurance and home, medications, cleaning costs, etc. Many insurers charge an extra premium on their life insurance for people who smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day. The values of these extra premiums vary according to age, sex and in some cases the type of snuff which they use (cigarette, pipe, cigar), but may be increased 30% if you are young and up to 70% for an adult. In the U. S. , the difference can be tripled. Some home insurance discriminate between smokers and nonsmokers, increasing the risk of fire, others do not cover fire accidents caused by smoking. An article posted in the New York Times edition of August 2013, says that â€Å"A smoker costs a private employer in the United States an extra $5,816 per year compared with a nonsmoker† The environment is the most suffering passive smoking. Snuff production causes pollution of natural resources, loss of biodiversity, forest fires, deforestation, increasing climate change and urban poor air quality. No other consumer product causes as much damage from cultivation, production, use and disposal as snuff. Butts filters are made of cellulose acetate, a non-biodegradable pollutant which can take effect on the environment more than 25 years to decompose. In addition to the filter, the butt can keep toxic substances that make up the cigarette. Nicotine and tar of a single cigarette can contaminate up to 50 liters of water. According to a report from the Florida State University (FSU), tobacco companies will add chemicals to cigarettes for smokers to not have to turn them on steadily. In the U. S, the leading cause of home fires is a lit cigarette unattended. FSU’s report also indicates that almost half of the litter on the streets is made up of cigarette butts. These residues can reach rivers, lakes and oceans and being ingested by birds, fish and other animals that may die not being able to digest. In Texas each year more than 1 billion pieces of litter will accumulate on Texas highways. Of those, 13 percent are cigarette butts. That means 130 million butts will be tossed out in Texas alone this year (Texas Department of Transportation). Smoking is a serious social problem as the damage that occurs not only in people who consume it but also with whom they live. It is amazing how a small cigar, can virtually dominate the lives of millions of people in the world. Only those who have tried to quit smoking know how difficult it is and how much it costs. By force of will and perseverance of the patient, are now added new drugs that make their contribution in the fight against cigarette addiction. Although it is legal and socially acceptable use, nicotine is a drug that affects us and creates dependency or addiction that makes organic conditions diminish the quality of life. It is our choice to be healthy, prevent disease, save money, and concern about the environment and most important thing our lives. Think of banishing an addiction so ingrained in our society is at the moment impossible; stay motionless is selfish and almost criminal. Smokers and nonsmokers should unite in a common goal: that our children will never become victims of an addiction as damaging. Works Cited 1. -The New York Times (August 2013) Article taken from: http://well. blogs. nytimes. com/2013/08/07/the-cost-of-a-smoker-5816/? _r=0 2. – American Lung Association http://www. lung. org/stop-smoking/about-smoking/facts-figures/general-smoking-facts. html 3. – Slovic, Paul. (2001). Smoking: Risk, Perception & Policy (Google Books – Digital Edition) 4. – Texas Department of Transportation Information http://www. cigarettelitter. org/