Writing/ B2 Writing lessons and / Writing a discussion essay: Discuss two views and give your opinion
How to Discuss Two Views and Give Your Opinion Clearly
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to write a balanced discussion essay that presents two opposing viewpoints on a topic and clearly states your own opinion. You’ll discover how to:
We’ll use a sample question about vaping to guide you through each step!
Task: Some people believe that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking and helps people quit smoking, while others think that e-cigarettes are harmful and may lead to vapers becoming smokers in the future.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
It is often said that vaping is healthier than smoking and helps smokers quit their habit. However, many are concerned about the potential harm of e-cigarettes and their role in leading people to become smokers. While it might be true that vaping is less dangerous than smoking, I believe the substances in e-cigarettes are proven to be harmful and addictive and should be regulated more strictly.
On the one hand, some people argue that vaping is a safer option than smoking traditional cigarettes. They emphasise that it eliminates all the harmful substances resulting from tobacco combustion. In addition, supporters also say that e-cigarettes provide a means for smokers to stop smoking. They believe that since vaping offers the possibility to decrease the nicotine you consume gradually, it makes quitting easier. For instance, in some countries like the UK or New Zealand, e-cigarettes are promoted as an important treatment option for smokers who want to quit.
However, critics claim that while vaping eliminates some harmful chemicals, e-cigarettes still contain addictive or dangerous substances such as nicotine or flavouring chemicals. Moreover, e-cigarettes are known to cause nicotine addiction among non-smokers, which may lead them to take up smoking. Many people who have never smoked are attracted to vaping by the aggressive marketing campaigns and the existence of many different enticing flavours, and many of them progress from e-cigarettes to tobacco. For example, vaping has become very popular among British youngsters, and there is a lot of debate about the need to implement stricter regulations because many of these vapers end up becoming smokers.
In conclusion, although it could be argued that e-cigarettes are less harmful than tobacco and offer a potential alternative for adult smokers trying to quit, the presence of unsafe chemicals and addictive substances in e-liquids is a health risk and leads many non-smokers to start smoking. In my opinion, vaping has serious health effects, and we need stronger regulations to restrict the use of e-cigarettes and mitigate their potential risks.