essay 4

Adam Chan

Eng 111

Professor Barnoy

Soft Drink: The Addiction Poison

            Soft drinks are everywhere in our country and you would likely see someone holding a bottle of coke rather than a bottle of water. But who can really help it when stores are putting Soft drinks up front while water bottles is hidden elsewhere. From soft drinks like soda and energy drink they have the ability to kill literally. According to a New York times article Soft drinks are already linked to heart disease and the more someone drinks one the more likely that they will have health issues.  The fact is many people are replacing water with Soft drinks which have no significant nutrient value at all except a high caffeine and many food additives. What makes Soft drinks so addictive is the caffeine and sugar inside it and the body creates a huge dependence on it. Even though Soft drinks aren't regarded as hazardous yet it should be there many health related problems due to soda and it seems the awareness to slow it down isn't happening anytime soon. Even though people know its harmful to your health and addiction most will not be giving up anytime soon.

            First off all I want to start up on the availability and exposure of soft drinks that is part of the reason. Advertisements, Television shows and in nearly every store in the United States there is a soft drink being ready to be purchase. Every time you walk into a store there is a soft drink close by available for purchase it lures people in much closer to it than any other healthy beverage that is available. Most people wouldn't even tell you soda was bad and unlike cigarettes which has been put in a bad spotlight, soft drinks are hardly mention at all as bad, making people think it's okay. Even if people know the negatives effects of soft drinks, when a water bottle cost the same of a soda it's pretty easy what people would rather choose for their thirst quencher.  The availability of soda is a major factor on why soft drink addiction is very out of hand.

            The health risk of soft drinks is very great and often left less expose and ignored. One major threat from soda is obesity which can lead to even diabetes and heart issues. Not only can it affect you on the inside but even on the how  the way you look you look. For instance tooth decay, cavities, obesity and phosphorus which weaken bone if you plan on getting bigger.  But you might be wondering why hasn't this happen yet? Well it takes time but drinking daily in the next 10 years or even sooner will affect your health greatly. From personal experience even if people knew these hazardous risks they will still drink it just because of the addictive nature of it. When soft drinks like this has a chance of affecting your health people will have to decide between pleasure or health but sadly the lather is always chosen. Maybe unlike other dangerous products if it doesn't affect the way you think there is no need for a issue. The health issues of soft drink isn't instant or even short term but it can be just as dangerous as alcohol, drugs and tobaccos.

            There are many risks to soft drinks and people might either not have enough knowledge or choose to ignore it so it comes down to lifestyle. Even I am guilty of this I may know the risks but even I would rather grab a bottle of soda than anything else. The biggest restraint to dropping soft drinks is  people very own willpower but I often see people that say that and end up not doing it since most wouldn't care one way or the other. It may take a bigger number of people to feel the health casualties like drugs and alcohol to make any real influence in our lives to change it. For example until the media or death reports like alcohol and cigarettes come in most people won't understand the serious issue of it. Changing lifestyles isn't easy and without imminent health hazard I don't suspect soft drink addictions will end anytime soon.

            Even if people read this essay it would most likely wouldn't have any impact on how they drink soft drinks even when knowing the health risks.  For most people dropping soft drinks is just like dropping water it can't happen and this is why it isn't possible. It may take media attention or casualties of lives for any health issues of it to have any influence on us but it can and will happen one day.

Work Cited

Ideaconnection. "Addiction to soft drinks." ideaconnection. IdeaConnection Ltd, n.d. Web. 24 Apr.

     2012. <http://www.ideaconnection.com/solutions/422-Addiction-to-soft-drinks.html>.