Increase of Cancer Cases in Canada

Running Head: INCREASE OF CANCER CASES IN CANADA
Increase in cancer cases caused due to excessive smoking in Canada
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INCREASE OF CANCER CASES IN CANADA1
Increase
Introduction
Use of tobacco, even though can be considered a global epidemic, is mostly predominant
to Canada. In the recent years, surveys have shown that a majority of the population of Canada
have been smoking excessively and as a result are prone to many health risks including the most
common disease it is known to cause, lung cancer. About 16 % of Canadians, ranging from ages
12 years and more, were diagnosed with lung cancer, due to excessive smoking, in a 2017
survey. The increase in the risk of lung cancer depends on a lot of factors like the age of the
smoker, the number of cigarettes one smokes in a day, as well as the amount of time one has
smoked. Even individuals who have never smoked are also suffering from lung cancer, due to
passive smoking. Many preventive steps have been taken to control the issue; however, the most
effective way is to find the root cause of the habit. The paper will talk about the reasons why
these preventive steps have been rather ineffective towards the majority of the population. The
paper will essentially focus on one sociological theory for the given issue and will help
understand the impact and cause of the issue.

INCREASE OF CANCER CASES IN CANADA2
Discussion
Sociological theory
The chosen sociological theory for addressing this issue of excessive smoking in Canada
is the conflict theory by Karl Marx. The Marxist theory suggests that the society is always
competing for limited resources. The theory also states that the society has a way of maintaining
the social order by providing easy access of these resources to the classes belonging at the top of
the hierarchy, and not to the working class (Cockerham, 9-11). Thus, the social order is
preserved not by unanimity and conformity, but by authority and domination. It is mostly based
on the interpretation of the different socio-economic classes by measuring their materialistic
possessions and their habits which affect their productivity.
How the sociological theory explains the issue?
The Marxist theory describes the process of self-emancipation of the working class. As a
theory, it depends on socioeconomic differences and their analysis that uses a materialist
interpretation of the historical evolution to view relations between different socio-economic
classes as well as social conflicts. The theory takes a dialectical perspective of social conversion.
Thus, in the light of this issue, the Marxist view, suggests that the working or the deprived class
are more prone to addictive substance abuse like tobacco, and not the higher class. The
underclass is prone to heavy smoking because of the physical labor they are required to provide
in their jobs or might be the reason of excessive exploitation by the higher-class population
(Azagba & Sharaf, 2011, 1-14). Substance use among workers, in the capitalist society, is only a
social problem when it hinders the Capital's advancement by decreasing labor productivity. This