Tobacco and Alcohol are Drugs that Cause Addiction and Health Problems – IELTS Writing Task 2

Agree Disagree essays, like ‘Tobacco and Alcohol are Drugs that Cause Addiction and Health Problems’, are the most common type of questions in IELTS Writing Task 2.

In contrast to classic Agree Disagree essays, ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree’ questions do not specifically ask you to declare your level of agreement or disagreement with the statement. You can either say for or against the notion or you can partly agree or disagree with it. Once you’ve made up your mind, come up with two or three arguments in favor of it.

Since Writing Task 2 can be challenging for many IELTS candidates, practising topics like The ‘Tobacco and Alcohol are Drugs that Cause Addiction and Health Problems’ will help you acquaint yourself with the format of structuring an IELTS Agree Disagree essays. Also, if you want to practise regularly, check out the Writing Task 2 practice tests.

Let’s have a look at the Agree Disagree essay – Tobacco and Alcohol are Drugs that Cause Addiction and Health Problems – with three expert-curated sample answers for different IELTS band scores.

Question

Outline

Check Out – IELTS Writing Task 2 Preparation Tips/Tricks 2024

Band 7 Sample Answer for Writing Task 2 Question – Tobacco and Alcohol are Drugs that Cause Addiction and Health Problems

A large percentage of individuals think that alcohol and tobacco should be banned since they are substances that can lead to addiction and health issues. In this essay, I will explain why I agree with this viewpoint.

In the first place, tobacco and alcohol are well-known contributors to multiple health problems, including lung cancer, liver cirrhosis, cardiovascular diseases, and addiction. One of my uncles passed away due to liver cirrhosis, as he used to drink alcohol regularly even when the doctor asked him not to. As a result, supporters of this ban argue that making these substances illegal would result in a significant reduction in the prevalence of such health issues.

Moreover, addictive substances, especially alcohol, are linked to poor judgment and an increased risk of accidents, including drunk driving incidents. Every year, a large number of people meet with deadly accidents due to intoxication. Due to this, a considerable burden on healthcare systems is created. So, people feel that making alcohol illegal could enhance public safety by minimizing alcohol-related accidents and violence.

In the end, even though it is true that alcohol and tobacco have a harmful effect on our health, I believe banning them will not stop the use of these substances. The government will need to check the black market, where the sale of these substances will increase once the ban is applied. Also, individuals should be conscious of the effects and be responsible for regulating their use. (240 words)

Vocabulary 

• Banned (Verb)

Meaning: officially or legally prevent (something)
E.g.: He was banned from flying with this airline due to his misbehavior with the airhostess.

• Contributors (Noun)

Meaning: someone who takes part in something or makes a contribution
E.g.: Kalika is a regular contributor to the editorial column of the magazine.

• Cirrhosis (Noun)

Meaning: a condition in which the liver is scarred and permanently damaged
E.g.: After his father died with cirrhosis, he gave up drinking.

• Prevalence (Noun)

Meaning: the fact of something existing or happening often
E.g.: We noticed a prevalence of inappropriate behavior among the new students.

• Addictive (Adjective)

Meaning: something that makes people unable to stop taking it
E.g.: Dendrite has an addictive quality and should be kept away from children.

• Intoxication (Noun)

Meaning: the condition of having physical or mental control markedly diminished by the effects of alcohol or drugs
E.g.: The police asked him to get down from the car as he was showing signs of intoxication.

• Regulating (Verb)

Meaning: to control or maintain the rate or speed of (a machine or process) so that it operates properly
E.g.: The government should make laws for regulating the misuse of labour.

Band 8 Sample Answer for Writing Task 2 Question – Tobacco and Alcohol are Drugs that Cause Addiction and Health Problems

Alcohol and cigarettes both have adverse impacts on health and can cause severe addiction. I truly believe that the use of alcohol and tobacco should be prohibited since they are addictive and cause other health issues.

To begin with, more than 25 distinct fatal diseases, such as emphysema, bronchitis, and lung cancer, are linked to smoking. Recent data indicates that tobacco-related diseases claim the lives of four million people worldwide each year, or one death every eight seconds. More people are dying from and getting disabled from tobacco use than from any other single factor. Additionally, smoking tobacco affects not just smokers but also those in the vicinity as they inhale the smoke emitted. Accordingly, smoking ought to be restricted to improve public health. A nation could treat more patients with the amount of money it spends annually on treating citizens with diseases linked to tobacco use.

Moreover, the use of alcohol has grown to be a significant issue during the past few centuries. An increasing number of individuals consume alcohol daily, which leads to severe issues like brain damage, divorce from one’s spouse, and dissolution of a family. In addition, consumption of alcohol reduces productivity, which affects the life of the individual as well as the people around him. Thus, alcohol ought to be banned everywhere.

In conclusion, I believe that the two biggest risks to society and our health are alcohol and cigarettes, as they cause several health and social issues. Therefore, the government should make the use of tobacco and alcohol illegal and individuals should behave more responsibly. (261 words)

Vocabulary 

• Adverse (Adjective)

Meaning: having a negative or harmful effect on something
E.g.: Eating fast foods on a regular basis can have adverse effects on your health.

• Prohibited (Verb)

Meaning: not allowed
E.g.: Women are prohibited to enter mosques.

• Emphysema (Noun)

Meaning: a lung condition that causes shortness of breath
E.g.: Meena’s father is suffering from emphysema.

• Vicinity (Noun)

Meaning: the area near or surrounding a particular place
E.g.: No one is allowed to go in the vicinity of that haunted palace.

• Emitted (Verb)

Meaning: produce and discharge (something, especially gas or radiation)
E.g.: The government should penalize the factories that emitted harmful gasses.

• Dissolution (Noun)

Meaning: the act or process of ending an official organization or legal agreement
E.g.: Everyone is unhappy to learn about the dissolution of the R&D department of the company.

• Productivity (Noun)

Meaning: the rate at which a person, company, or country does useful work
E.g.: Productivity and creativity are two important factors that we are looking for in the new candidate.

Band 9 Sample Answer for Writing Task 2 Question – Tobacco and Alcohol are Drugs that Cause Addiction and Health Problems

Vocabulary 

• Controversial (Adjective)

Meaning: relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument : likely to produce controversy
E.g.: Divorce in backward countries is a controversial topic.

• Impair (Verb)

Meaning: weaken or damage (something, especially a faculty or function)
E.g.: The accident impaired his ability to play football.

• Coordination (Noun)

Meaning: the act of making all the people involved in a plan or activity work together in an organized way
E.g.: The performance of the group was rated low due to lack of coordination among the dancers.

• Mishap (Noun)

Meaning: bad luck, or an unlucky event or accident
E.g.: The burning of the Northern forest was a mishap no one could forget.

• Outright (Adjective)

Meaning: completely or immediately
E.g.: Telling him that we have reached the destination is an outright lie.

• Smuggling (Noun)

Meaning: the illegal movement of goods into or out of a country
E.g.: The detectives are looking for the group that is involved in smuggling of priceless artifacts.

• Outlawing (Verb)

Meaning: to make something illegal or unacceptable
E.g.: People want the government outlawing child labour in the country.

• Detrimental (Adjective)

Meaning: obviously harmful; damaging
E.g.: Overconsumption of soft drinks can be detrimental to children.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Connectors for Extra Points in the Sample Answers for Tobacco and Alcohol are Drugs that Cause Addiction and Health Problems

Connectors or Linking words helps to bring coherence to your writing and increase your chances of scoring a high band. So, check out the list of connectors/linking words used in the sample responses for the IELTS Writing Task 2 – ‘Tobacco and Alcohol are Drugs that Cause Addiction and Health Problems’ given below.

• In the first place/To begin with
• As a result/Due to this/Accordingly
• Moreover/Also/Additionally/In addition/Furthermore
• So/Thus/Therefore
• In the end/In conclusion/To conclude
• In my opinion
• It is true that
• Simultaneously
• However/Nonetheless
• Likewise

It’s time for you to start writing on your own now that you have read through the sample responses on the subject of ‘Tobacco and Alcohol are Drugs that Cause Addiction and Health Problems’. You can use our FREE evaluation service or submit your replies in a comment below for that.

Additional Resources

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