Is Fast Food The New Tobacco?

 

      Is fast food the new tobacco?  

While fast food is undoubtedly addictive to a degree; it’s by no means comparable to tobacco. Tobacco has nicotine in it, this the driving factor behind the addiction. While fast food can be hard to put down, it isn’t outright addictive.Yes, because of its strategic marketing and convenience; fast food has become the primary food source for many. But cigarettes/tobacco are a completely different ball park.  

As someone that has a loved one who’s a heavy smoker, I feel that I have firsthand experience with the subject matter. To a smoker; cigarettes are their air, they need it to keep living. Their body becomes dependent on it. After years and years of smoking, they can’t put it down.While fast food on the other hand, can be addicting due to its taste; it can be put down.  

Nicotine is one of, if not the most addictive thing on the planet. With researchers saying it may take numerous attempts, for one to come even remotely close to kicking the habit. Your brain, as well as your body, becomes dependent on nicotine; this makes it extremely hard to quit. It may take years for your body to stop being dependent on it. Not to mention the long term health effects that come along with it. Nicotine is the leading cause of cancer. According to the CDC there were more than 742,000 tobacco-associated cancer cases in the United States in 2022.  Fast food on the other hand, is also known for its potential health risk. Most fast food items are high in things such as sodium, sugar, cholesterol, as well as fat. The majority of fast food chains provide food that isn’t nutritional rich whatsoever. Not to mention the loads of chemicals that are dumped into said food. Research has even shown that some of these dyes and chemicals in fast food are potentially cancer causing.  

However, as previously stated, fast food is nowhere near tobacco in terms of it being addicting. While yes, fast food has ran our society for decades, it isn’t as addicting as tobacco. Being dependent on fast food is a choice, while I understand that buying and cooking your own food is costly, there are alternatives to buying fast food. There are numerous healthy fast food options, restaurants like Qdoba, Chipotle, Cava, Sweet Greens, and many more, are examples of healthy fast food choices.

In all, fast food is the new tobacco in a metaphorical sense; by no means is fast food as addictive as tobacco. But the impact fast food has had on society, is what makes the comparison. However, I don’t consider the statement to be true. As I mentioned previously, relying on fast food as your main food source is a choice, being reliant on nicotine is not. Your body can properly function without fast food. But it's harder for your body to function if you decide to stop smoking. So no, fast food is by no means the new tobacco.