no smoking in public places essay

Should Smoking Be Banned in Public Places? Essay

Introduction, thesis statement, reasons for the ban of smoking in public places, the opposing views, economic point of view, social point of view, works cited.

Many governments across the globe have moved to ban smocking in public places. Whether the action is justified or not, is a matter of fierce debate. Often, the proponents of the proposition carry the day arguing that smoke from cigarette inhaled by non-smokers poses health risks.

Thus, the banning action is based on the premise that non-smokers should be protected from risks associated with proximity to cigarette smoke (Warner 71). The other premise is that effects of smoke whether directly inhaled or partially taken in proximity with smokers are the same. However, little attention has been given to the opposing views which have always been dismissed as baseless.

Most academic studies and researches have cited individual rights as the basis for smocking in public ignoring other factors such as economy, social as well as other individualistic reasons (Viscusi 31). Moreover, much attention has also been given to dangers posed by cigarette smoking specifically health problems while ignoring the opponent side of view.

Further, little research has also been conducted to ascertain some of the issues that support public smoking or smoking in general (Viscusi 31). This does not necessarily mean that smoking should be allowed. However, other factors should be considered. Besides, various options should be explored before imposing a ban on smoking cigarette in public.

Smoking in public places poses health risks to non smokers and should be banned. This paper will be discussing whether cigarette smoking should not be allowed in public places. First the paper will explore dangers associated with smoking in public and not on those who smoke, but on non-smokers.

The paper will then examine these propositions and ascertain whether they hold and establish counter arguments against the propositions. It is concluded that even though smoking poses health risks among the individuals, economic, social and individual values must be taken into consideration before a blanket ban on the practice is imposed (Abedian et al. 71).

The proponents of this rule have several arguments majorly based on scientific studies and results from health institutions. These arguments cannot be disputed, but over reliance on them is what makes the arguments a bit absurd (Warner 71).

However, various researches have always pointed health risks associated with smoking. Besides, smoking is an environmental hazard as much of the content in the cigarette contains chemicals and hydrocarbons that are considered to be dangerous to both life and environment (Lott and Richard 102).

Biologists and epidemiologists point out passive smoking is harmful to health. In other words, those who come in contact with second-hand smoke risk their health statuses (Lott and Richard 102). Several risks are associated with second-hand smoke that majority come in contact with in public places.

In most cases, partial smokers suffer from cardiac arrests, lung cancers, central nervous system impairments as well as other diseases caused by carcinogenic chemicals from cigarette smoke (Viscusi 35).

Other health conditions caused by smoking include asthma and other respiratory infections resulting from hydrocarbons and ammonia present in the second-hand smoke. Partial smokers also suffer from eye irritations, headaches and flu as a result of smoke particles (Viscusi and Joseph 10).

Findings from other scientific studies indicate that smoking reduces individual lifespan by a minimum of ten percent. The discovery also indicates that women are likely to suffer eleven years off their life expectancy. Moreover, people who smoke are more susceptible to certain forms of cancer that would have been avoided without smoking (Viscusi and Joseph 10). Smoking is injurious to health.

Those who have opposed the view on smoking ban in public places have been accused of citing individual rights to support their actions. In as much as they might be true, the weak point in this argument is that the rule applies to both smokers and non-smokers (Abedian et al. 71). Every one has a right to smoke and also not to smoke. Therefore, the argument based on the legal rights of an individual remains ambiguous.

From the economic point of view, smoking is an individual choice. Like any other product these individuals may be willing to buy, cigarette is a commodity that its consumers would want and willing to purchase. Indeed, people make everyday choices founded on their preferences, and these choices are often associated with hazards and reservations (Warner 71).

All social interactions that individuals are involved in could be associated with risks which, in most cases are greater than risks related to smoke that smokers’ exhale. The reason is that the expected outcomes of the social interactions are greater than the risks as well as the costs involved (Viscusi 40).

Therefore, it would be ridiculous to make a conclusion that smoking in public should be prohibited simply because it presents a number of risks.

Based on this argument, the number of fatalities from other causes such as accidents, sexual relations, other diseases such as flu and pneumonia which are communicable and easily spread in public places are by far numerous than the fatalities caused by the second-hand smoke.

In other words, the risk of contracting other diseases, dying from AIDS as a result of sexual relations as well as dying from accidents are five times higher than the risk of dying from a second-hand smoke (Abedian et al. 71).

The other attribute of the economic proposition is that it examines the method through which individual choices can be reconciled based on their preferences (Viscusi and Joseph 44).

That is, individuals who smoke and those who tend to avoid second-hand smoke. According to the economic studies, primary institutes such as contractual freedom and property rights offer an effectual solution more than formal regulations in fulfilling personal preference (Viscusi and Joseph 44).

Another factor that should also be taken into consideration is the degree to which a place is considered public (Warner 71). It should be understood that most of the public places were previously private places. The difference is that owners allow the public to access them purely for commercial purposes.

As such, the role of property rights should be implemented to stop public smoking. In this regard, much of the places considered public are private such as the work places, restaurants, buses and bars. These places are opened for all manner of customers’ smokers as well as non smokers. The owner should specify the target customers who are purely non-smokers.

Therefore, any smoker who enters in these establishments is held liable for any risk of second hand smoking. On the other hand, an establishment may require that only smokers enter its establishment. In such a situation, any establishment will not be held responsible for any risks associated with second hand –smoke in a case non smoker enters the establishment.

In both scenarios, there is economic efficiency for all the parties concerned based on their preferences. However, in the circumstances that there is no specificity and the definition of the public, the whole process becomes chaotic (Warner 71).

Socially, smoking has been perceived as being fashionable and stylist. This perception has been carried over from generations to generations. Smoking is not something new rather it has been practiced for centuries. In a critical examination as to why people have been smoking for centuries, the reason is because they derived pleasure that was closely related to fashion and style.

That is why people still smoke and younger generations find themselves to be smoking despite health warnings or knowledge of health risks associated with the practice (Lott and Richard 102). This value should not be undermined as scientists could not explain why some smokers stay longer than those who smoke. Moreover, smoking is not the only cause of all health related diseases.

The best possible strategy to control tobacco consumption should be put in place. This will uphold individual’s self-esteem and appreciate society preferences. Scientists and other health proponents argue that people should not be guaranteed to smoke openly.

However, the economical approach stipulates that the management should not impose a ban on some individuals’ day to day choices. In fact, people’s preferences are highly regarded in the general public. Banning public smoking could favor certain communities while offend the treaty-liberty and material goods privileges.

Abedian, Iraj, Merwe Rowena, Nick Wilkins and Prabhat Jha. The Economics of Tobacco Control: Towards an Optimal Policy Mix . Cape Town: University of Cape Town, 1998. Print. p. 71.

Lott, John and Richard Manning. “Have Changing Liability Rules Compensated Workers Twice for Occupational Hazards? Earning Premiums and Cancer Risks.” Journal of Legal Studies , 29.1 (2000): 99-128. Print.

Viscusi, Kip and Joseph Aldy. “The Value of a Statistical Life: A Critical Review of Market Estimates throughout the World.” Journal of Risk and Uncertainty , 27.1 (2003): 5-76. Print.

Viscusi, Kip. “The Value of Life: Estimates with Risks by Occupation and Industry.” Economic Inquiry , 42.1 (2004): 29-48. Print.

Warner, Kenneth. The Economics of Tobacco and Health . Cape Town: University of Cape Town, 1998. Print. p. 71.

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• Ban Smoking Essay

Ban Smoking in Public Places Essay

This is a  ban smoking in public places  essay. It is an example of an essay where you have to give your opinion as to whether you agree or disagree.

The sample answer shows you how you can present the opposing argument first, that is not your opinion, and then present your opinion in the following paragraph.

It is always a good idea to present a balanced essay which presents both sides of the argument, but you must always make it very clear what your opinion is and which side of the argument you support.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Smoking not only harms the smoker, but also those who are nearby. Therefore, smoking should be banned in public places.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

Medical studies have shown that smoking not only leads to health problems for the smoker, but also for people close by. As a result of this, many believe that smoking should not be allowed in public places. Although there are arguments on both sides, I strongly agree that a ban is the most appropriate course of action.

Opponents of such a ban argue against it for several reasons. Firstly, they say that passive smokers make the choice to breathe in other people’s smoke by going to places where it is allowed. If they would prefer not to smoke passively, then they do not need to visit places where smoking is permitted. In addition, they believe a ban would possibly drive many bars and pubs out of business as smokers would not go there anymore. They also argue it is a matter of freedom of choice. Smoking is not against the law, so individuals should have the freedom to smoke where they wish.

However, there are more convincing arguments in favour of a ban. First and foremost, it has been proven that tobacco consists of carcinogenic compounds which cause serious harm to a person’s health, not only the smoker. Anyone around them can develop cancers of the lungs, mouth and throat, and other sites in the body. It is simply not fair to impose this upon another person. It is also the case that people’s health is more important than businesses. In any case, pubs and restaurants could adapt to a ban by, for example, allowing smoking areas.

In conclusion, it is clear that it should be made illegal to smoke in public places. This would improve the health of thousands of people, and that is most definitely a positive development.

(290 words)

This essay is well organized and presented.

The introduction is clear - note how it follows the ban smoking in public places essay question - it paraphrases the information in order to introduce the topic and the argument.

The argument against a ban on smoking in public places is presented first. It is made clear that it is not the authors opinion by the topic sentence:

• "Opponents of such a ban argue against it for several reasons".

And also by the use of the word 'they' to refer to the opponents.

The writer then clearly shows they are moving on to the other argument which is their own (and it has clearly been stated in the thesis that this is their argument):

• "However, there are more convincing arguments in favour of a ban".

In this paragraph, 'they' is dropped because it is now the writers opinion.

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Banning Smoking in Public Places, Essay Example

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Words: 337

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The topic of the Rogerian essay is the argument for banning smoking in public places. Bringing in scientific research results, the authors would like to address human rights and freedom issues and argue that everyone has the right for clear fresh air without 3000 different toxins. While smokers’ have the right to enjoy their habit if they choose to, the public’s interest is more important in this case than individual rights.

Background Knowledge. I have examined newspaper and academic publications regarding smoking ban in America. As a non-smoker, I understand that people with heart and respiratory conditions can be affected by cigarette smoke. With friends who are asthmatic I know that cigarette smoke can worsen several people’s condition. Indeed, if I go to a club or party where smoking is allowed, my clothes and hair immediately need to be washed, because of the smell.

Research Plan. In the first phase, I would like to review newspaper publications on the issue; argumentative articles on each side. The second phase would be to check the validity of the claims using peer-reviewed journals detailing research results on second-hand smoking and its effect on people’s health. I will use search terms “second-hand smoking” and “ban smoking in public”. Debate.org would be a good starting point, as it is a website that addresses both sides of the argument. The CDC website would provide facts and overview about the health risks of second-hand smoking on different population groups. It also provides references for future research including scientific study publications. The WHO report covering the statistics of 192 countries would also provide the author with a solid proof to back up the argument for banning smoking in public places.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (web) Smoking and Tobacco Use. <http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/general_facts> [Accessed: 12/6/13]

Debate.org Website. History and Debate of Smoking Ban . Web. <http://www.debate.org/tobacco-  rights/> [Accessed: 12/6/13]

Oberg, M., Jaakkola, M., Woodward, A., Pergua, A., Pruss-Ustun, A. (2010) Worldwide burden of disease from exposure to second-hand smoke: a retrospective analysis of data from 192 countries . WHO. Web. <http://www.who.int/quantifying_ehimpacts/publications/smoking.pdf>  [Accessed: 12/6/13]

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• Band 9 IELTS Essays

Band 9 essay sample: All governments should ban smoking in public places

by Manjusha Nambiar · October 12, 2015

Essay topic

It has been proved that smoking kills. In some countries it has been made illegal for people to smoke in public places except in certain areas. All countries should make these rules.

Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

Sample response

Smoking is injurious to health. It can even cause deadly diseases like cancer. Many countries have already banned smoking in public places. In my opinion, others too should follow suit and ban it.

There are several benefits to banning smoking in public places. Smoking ban will definitely improve the quality of air we breathe. Cigarette contains nicotine which is a cancerous substance. In addition to cancer, smoking causes several other health problems. In fact, statistics have shown tremendous rise in the occurrence of mouth cancer among people who smoke regularly. Some studies have also shown that people who smoke more than 3 cigarettes a day have increased chances of developing cancer. Smoking may also cause other problems like heart attack and respiratory illnesses.

The biggest problem with smoking is that in order to suffer from its ill effects, you don’t necessarily have to be a smoker. Passive smoking also kills. It is particularly harmful for young children and pregnant women. If people are allowed to smoke in crowded public places like railway stations or bus stands, its harmful effects will have to be borne by all people standing next to the smoker. Banning smoking in public places is the only way to solve this problem.

Pollution is one of the biggest problems that we face today. Smoking not only aggravates this problem but it also causes the depletion of the ozone layer which protects us from sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. It is evident that smoking plays a significant role in damaging our health and our environment.

In conclusion, I personally believe that all governments should ban smoking in public places. This might cause some inconvenience to chain smokers, but ultimately this ban will benefit them as well.

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Smoking should be banned in public places IELTS Essay

IELTS ESSAY TOPIC

Smoking should be banned in public places. Do you agree or disagree?

Sample Answer

Smoking should be banned by higher authorities in all public places, although this would restrict some other people’s freedom. I completely agree with this statement because, firstly, it affects other people’s health, and secondly, it sets a good precedent for society and communities.

To begin with, smoking in all public places should be banned by the government because it affects not only active smokers who are addicted to it but also others who do not smoke. Moreover, when a person smokes in a public place, the smoke contains different hazardous gases. It deteriorates the environment as well as the health of the people who stand behind him. Moreover, smoking is a veiled threat to the health of passive smokers. If the central focus of the government is a restriction of smoking in public places, that would help people improve their health, and their lives would lead towards an impressive growth trajectory . For example, a study has revealed that the number of smokers has declined due to proper restrictions on smoking.

Moreover, the government should go beyond the conventional domain to ban smoking in public places. Due to this, more people will be aware of the consequences of smoking, and they will avoid active smoking. Moreover, if the government organizes stringent rules and regulations , people will think twice before smoking. It also sets a good precedent for others, and when they avoid smoking, it will help them develop their holistic growth . For instance, in the United States, a paradigm shift was seen in the number of people aware of the consequences of smoking because they followed stringent rules and regulations set by the higher authorities.

 To conclude, smoking should be banned in public places, and I agree with this statement because it not only affects other people but also it is a prudent approach for society and communities.

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IELTS Essay, topic: Smoking in public places

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• IELTS Essays - Band 7

Some businesses prohibit smoking in any of their offices. Some governments have banned smoking in all public places. Do you agree or disagree that this is the right course of action? Give reasons for your opinion.

Allow me to present the three positive sides of smoking. Firstly, smoking certainly helps many people to relax. For some, it even improves concentration. If someone is upset or they have , to smoke to reduce the pressure or tension. people like to smoke when they are relaxing with friends. Secondly, governments throughout the world make huge profits from taxes on cigarettes. The income obtained through taxes provides funds which are used for building and public places such as parks, gardens, sports ground and foot paths. Thirdly, tobacco industry also employs tens of thousands of people all over the world, particularly in poorer countries such as Zimbabwe or the Philippines. Without cigarettes, these people would have no jobs.

Despite these positive are lots of negative effects to smoking too. Initially, smoking has been proven to be very dangerous for health. cigarette contains more than 4000 chemical substances, therefore, it dangerous diseases such as heart attacks, asthma, bronchitis or lung cancer. According to a recent report in Britain close to 3,500 people are killed each year in road accidents and 120,000 are killed by smoking. Furthermore, smoking costs governments millions of dollars because of the large number of people who need treatment in hospitals for smoking-related problems. Moreover, passive smoking is also a major concern today. Recent research shows that non-smokers can suffer from health problems if they spend long periods of time among people who do smoke. In the UK children whose parents are are three times as likely to start smoking themselves .

In short, I think the world would be a better place without cigarettes. However, the decision of whether smoke or not to smoke should be for each individual to make. I suggest that people should not smoke in a room or a place where there are non smokers, however they should be free to smoke elsewhere.

This is a very good essay, you have made your arguments well and set out the paragraphs as required. However, pay attention to your use of assertive statements e.g. ‘Without cigarettes, these people would have no jobs’. Perhaps they would gain employment in another industry – we cannot be sure. Over all, well done!

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12 thoughts on “IELTS Essay, topic: Smoking in public places”

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Is comparison important in IELTS essay? My former tutor said you had to have comparison between two things related to the topic in each body paragraph; otherwise, the essay will go below band 6. please advise.Thank you

Hi ccavute, my guess is that your tutor meant a balanced discussion. If the task asks whether you agree or disagree with a certain statement, you should discuss both sides of it – the one you do agree with and the one you don’t agree with. If you leave one of them out of your essay it won’t look objective and the task won’t be completely covered, which may affect the score.

I am surprised the test taker can remember the approximate number of people killed by cigarettes and road accident, how if the number we mentioned just a guess or just a random number, could it make the writing looks unreliable? is it ok?

Hi Yenni, you don’t have to mention any numbers at all for your essay to appear genuine and trustworthy. You can just say ‘hundreds’ or ‘thousands’ or ‘a large number’ and it will still be fine. Concentrate on your ideas and arguments, and how you express them. Numbers aren’t the only thing you can use to support your arguments – examples are good as well.

Hi, Please correct me if I am wrong in the following points. 1 ESSAY should not be personalised. Research or survey data should not mentioned. 2. Directing the content on UK parents might be targetting a particular set of people. 3 Aren’t we supposed to pick one side in suchlike questions? i.e. either agree or disagree.

Hi Neetu, in this essay the mentions of data explain or support the writer’s claims, which makes them appropriate. UK data is no exception, it is used for the same purpose of substantiating the writer’s claim. You can agree or disagree, but it doesn’t mean you don’t have to consider the opposite side of the argument – in fact, when you write about both sides, your essay looks more balanced.

Hello. In do you agree or disagree essay. We should write both of sides or not?.please explain.thank you

The most important thing is to make your position clear, you should say whether you agree or disagree. If the essay question is “To what extent do you agree or disagree”, you can say that you partially or fully agree (or disagree). If you only partially agree, then make sure you discuss both sides. If you agree with just one side, you can write only about that, but if you are running out of ideas then you can discuss both sides. The added benefit of this is that it will make your essay more balanced. I hope this helps.

But if we write on both sides sometimes we might contradict our own points like if we are writing more on positive side and then if we write less on negative we may contradict some of our positive points? Correct me if m wrong

You don’t have to contradict yourself, there are arguments for and against, you support only one side, but you still are aware why people might support the other side and you are pointing it out in your essay. It’s absolutely fine.

Smoking is banned in offices and public areas because it is harmful to the public. I agree with this on the ground that it is a really wise decision made by the authorities, I think it is because of reasons like an unhealthy environment for people and it can influence children to perform it. To begin, smoking is dangerous due to health issues it causes like lung cancer and asthma yet it is way more harmful to people who are near the smoking person. To explain, scientists have researched smoking and what problems it can cause to individuals who breathe the exhaled smoke of smokers. Research shows the person near the smoker has a higher chance of getting cancer than the performer itself and that is the reason governments banned smoking in public areas to keep citizens safe from its deadly consequences. Another reason for prohibiting smoking is its bad influence on children. To justify, children are always curiously seeing the world, to learn something new daily, and this is the nature of every juvenile. Therefore, if children see someone smoking, which mostly will be possible if people do it in public areas, that can influence them to try it and maybe get addicted to it if they do it multiple times. Hence, it will be better to not let them see this deed for their safety. To conclude, smoking is harmful and there is no denial to it so I believe it should stay banned and should performed in isolated places so no one can inhale the bad substances that get released while doing it, so everyone can be safe and children can also not get encouraged to do it.

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Persuasive Essay Guide

Persuasive Essay About Smoking

Persuasive Essay About Smoking - Making a Powerful Argument with Examples

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Are you wondering how to write your next persuasive essay about smoking?

Smoking has been one of the most controversial topics in our society for years. It is associated with many health risks and can be seen as a danger to both individuals and communities.

Writing an effective persuasive essay about smoking can help sway public opinion. It can also encourage people to make healthier choices and stop smoking. 

But where do you begin?

In this blog, we’ll provide some examples to get you started. So read on to get inspired!

• 1. What You Need To Know About Persuasive Essay
• 2. Persuasive Essay Examples About Smoking
• 3. Argumentative Essay About Smoking Examples
• 4. Tips for Writing a Persuasive Essay About Smoking

What You Need To Know About Persuasive Essay

A persuasive essay is a type of writing that aims to convince its readers to take a certain stance or action. It often uses logical arguments and evidence to back up its argument in order to persuade readers.

It also utilizes rhetorical techniques such as ethos, pathos, and logos to make the argument more convincing. In other words, persuasive essays use facts and evidence as well as emotion to make their points.

A persuasive essay about smoking would use these techniques to convince its readers about any point about smoking. Check out an example below:

Simple persuasive essay about smoking

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Persuasive Essay Examples About Smoking

Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the world. It leads to adverse health effects, including lung cancer, heart disease, and damage to the respiratory tract. However, the number of people who smoke cigarettes has been on the rise globally.

A lot has been written on topics related to the effects of smoking. Reading essays about it can help you get an idea of what makes a good persuasive essay.

Here are some sample persuasive essays about smoking that you can use as inspiration for your own writing:

Persuasive speech on smoking outline

Persuasive essay about smoking should be banned

Persuasive essay about smoking pdf

Persuasive essay about smoking cannot relieve stress

Persuasive essay about smoking in public places

Speech about smoking is dangerous

Persuasive Essay About Smoking Introduction

Persuasive Essay About Stop Smoking

Short Persuasive Essay About Smoking

Stop Smoking Persuasive Speech

Check out some more persuasive essay examples on various other topics.

Argumentative Essay About Smoking Examples

An argumentative essay is a type of essay that uses facts and logical arguments to back up a point. It is similar to a persuasive essay but differs in that it utilizes more evidence than emotion.

If you’re looking to write an argumentative essay about smoking, here are some examples to get you started on the arguments of why you should not smoke.

Argumentative essay about smoking pdf

Argumentative essay about smoking in public places

Argumentative essay about smoking introduction

Check out the video below to find useful arguments against smoking:

Tips for Writing a Persuasive Essay About Smoking

You have read some examples of persuasive and argumentative essays about smoking. Now here are some tips that will help you craft a powerful essay on this topic.

Choose a Specific Angle

Select a particular perspective on the issue that you can use to form your argument. When talking about smoking, you can focus on any aspect such as the health risks, economic costs, or environmental impact.

Think about how you want to approach the topic. For instance, you could write about why smoking should be banned. 

Check out the list of persuasive essay topics to help you while you are thinking of an angle to choose!

Research the Facts

Before writing your essay, make sure to research the facts about smoking. This will give you reliable information to use in your arguments and evidence for why people should avoid smoking.

You can find and use credible data and information from reputable sources such as government websites, health organizations, and scientific studies. 

For instance, you should gather facts about health issues and negative effects of tobacco if arguing against smoking. Moreover, you should use and cite sources carefully.

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Make an Outline

The next step is to create an outline for your essay. This will help you organize your thoughts and make sure that all the points in your essay flow together logically.

Your outline should include the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. This will help ensure that your essay has a clear structure and argument.

Use Persuasive Language

When writing your essay, make sure to use persuasive language such as “it is necessary” or “people must be aware”. This will help you convey your message more effectively and emphasize the importance of your point.

Also, don’t forget to use rhetorical devices such as ethos, pathos, and logos to make your arguments more convincing. That is, you should incorporate emotion, personal experience, and logic into your arguments.

Introduce Opposing Arguments

Another important tip when writing a persuasive essay on smoking is to introduce opposing arguments. It will show that you are aware of the counterarguments and can provide evidence to refute them. This will help you strengthen your argument.

By doing this, your essay will come off as more balanced and objective, making it more convincing.

Finish Strong

Finally, make sure to finish your essay with a powerful conclusion. This will help you leave a lasting impression on your readers and reinforce the main points of your argument. You can end by summarizing the key points or giving some advice to the reader.

A powerful conclusion could either include food for thought or a call to action. So be sure to use persuasive language and make your conclusion strong.

To conclude,

By following these tips, you can write an effective and persuasive essay on smoking. Remember to research the facts, make an outline, and use persuasive language.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Smoking — Discussion On Whether Cigarette Smoking Should Be Banned In Public Places

Discussion on Whether Cigarette Smoking Should Be Banned in Public Places

• Categories: Smoking Smoking Ban Tobacco

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Words: 1240 |

Published: Dec 3, 2020

Words: 1240 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

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Related Essays on Smoking

Smoking is a prevalent practice in many societies, with approximately 1 billion people engaging in this habit. The act of smoking involves burning substances, such as tobacco or cannabis, and inhaling the resulting smoke into [...]

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Today, I would like to talk to you about the dangers of smoking and the impact it has on individuals and society as a whole. Smoking is a prevalent habit that has been around for centuries, [...]

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IELTS says that you should write a minimum of 250 words in writing task 2. If you go under word count you will lose marks in task response.

A very long essay will not give you a higher band score.

Aim for between 260 to 290 words in writing task 2. This will ensure a concise essay and will be realistic in terms of time management. You have only 40 minutes to write the essay and you need around 10 minutes of planning time, so you will not be able to write a long essay in 30 minutes.

Discover more tips in The Ultimate Guide to Get a Target Band Score of 7+ » — a book that's free for 🚀 Premium users.

• cultural landmarks
• economic impacts
• historical identity
• tangible connection
• aesthetic appeal
• educational activities
• sustainable tourism
• preservation practices
• overcrowding
• property values
• job opportunities
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To get a good job today it is more important for children to study mathematics and foreign languages than art and music. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

You had to cancel a meeting with a friend. write a letter to him/her, in your letter - apologise for cancelling the meeting - explain why you couldn't be there - suggest an alternative day when you could meet, computers are being used more and more in education. some people say that this is a positive trend while others argue that it leading to negative consequences. discuss both views and give your opinion, due to rise in university fees arts subjects like history and philosophy should not be taught anymore. only degree courses should be taught for better employment opportunities. do you agree or disagree, many people find it difficult to give a speech or presentation in public. some people suggest that schools should teach children to speak in public. how important is it to speak in public do you agree or disagree that they should teach it at school.

What is the UK smoking ban, how will it work and when will it start?

• Published 12 hours ago

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak effectively wants to ban smoking in the UK.

MPs have voted to back the government's plans to create a "smoke-free generation", and reduce the number of smoking-related deaths.

What is the smoking ban?

The restrictions will apply to the sale of cigarettes in the UK rather than the act of smoking itself.

Under the new law , each year the legal age for cigarette sales - currently 18 - will increase by one year.

It means that people born in or after 2009 will never be able to legally buy cigarettes, leading to an effective ban.

The law will not affect those who are allowed to buy cigarettes now.

To crack down on under-age sales, the government says it will introduce £100 on-the-spot fines for shops in England and Wales which sell tobacco and vapes to under-age people.

Local authorities will retain the proceeds to reinvest into enforcement of the law.

This would be on top of £2,500 fines that courts can already impose.

The government says it will spend £30m on enforcement, which will include tackling the availability of cigarettes on the black market.

The new rules will apply in all duty free shops in the UK, but anyone buying cigarettes abroad would be able to bring them back to the UK as long as they were legally acquired elsewhere.

The government aims to have the new system in force by 2027.

Mr Sunak wants to work with the governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to introduce the legislation across the UK.

• MPs back smoking ban for those born after 2009
• Will Rishi Sunak's plan to ban smoking in UK work?

How bad is smoking, and how many deaths does it lead to?

Cigarettes release thousands of different chemicals when they burn, including carbon monoxide, lead, and ammonia.

Many components of tobacco are poisonous, and up to 70 cause cancer.

Smoking is also linked to other serious illnesses, including lung disease, heart disease and strokes. It can affect fertility and pregnancy.

The government says it is still the number one preventable cause of death, disability and ill health, causing around 80,000 deaths per year across the UK, and costing the NHS and the economy an estimated £17bn every year,

According to the government, creating a "smoke-free generation" could prevent more than 470,000 cases of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and other diseases by the end of the century.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill also aims to tackle vaping among young people who have never smoked before.

Vaping is less harmful than smoking cigarettes, but is not risk-free. Health experts agree that anyone who does not already smoke should not start vaping.

Children's doctors warn vaping may cause long-term damage to young people's lungs, hearts and brains.

Vaping is too recent an activity for any long-term effects to have become clear, but the NHS says it " unlikely to be totally harmless".

The government has already announced plans to ban disposable vapes in England as soon as April 2025, and hopes to extend this ban across the UK as well.

The contents, flavours and packaging of nicotine vapes will also be restricted in order to make them less attractive to children. A new tax on vaping will be introduced from October 2026.

Vaping alternatives - such as nicotine pouches - will also be outlawed for children.

• What is a the disposable vape ban and the vaping tax?
• Never start vaping, says girl with lung damage

What is happening to smoking rates in the UK?

Smoking rates in older teens remain high - more than 12% of 16 to 17-year-olds smoke in England.

Although the number of 11 to 17-year-olds who smoke cigarettes has gone down in the last decade, the popularity of vaping has increased in this age group, with disposable vapes being the most popular type.

According the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 12.9% of people aged 18 years and over in the UK - or about 6.4 million people - smoked cigarettes in 2022. This is the lowest proportion of current smokers since records began in 2011.

The 25-34 age group has the highest proportion of smokers, while the lowest was among those aged 65 and over.

Of the UK nations, England has the lowest proportion of current smokers and Wales has the highest.

The price of smoking has increased substantially in recent years, with a packet of 20 king-size cigarettes now costing more than £15, with £6.33 of that being tax.

According to the anti-smoking charity Ash, successive increases in tobacco duty may have encouraged some consumers to smoke less or stop altogether.

University College London research suggests the proportion of middle-class and richer women aged under 45 smoking may have risen in England .

The proportion rose from 12% to 15% between 2013 and 2023, the study estimates.

Less advantaged women were more likely to smoke overall but smoking rates among this age group fell from 29% to 22%.

The proportion of women under 45 vaping rose from 5% to 20%.

• Smoking decline stalls since Covid pandemic, study finds

Are other countries banning smoking?

The UK's approach is thought to have been inspired by a policy in New Zealand.

The country's previous government planned to ban anyone born after 2008 from buying cigarettes or tobacco products in their lifetime.

But, in November 2023, the current government said it will scrap the law to help fund tax cuts.

Mexico has some of the strictest anti-smoking laws in the world, including smoking bans at beaches, parks and in some cases, private homes.

Portugal aims to have a "smoke-free generation" by 2040, and wants to pass a law that would stop bars, cafes and petrol stations from selling tobacco products.

Canada is hoping to reduce tobacco use to less than 5% by 2035 and earlier this year, became the first country to rule that health warnings should be printed on individual cigarettes.

• Guide to smoking bans around the world

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• Rishi Sunak

clock This article was published more than  8 years ago

Drinking in a public park in Moscow? Your name could end up on a ‘board of shame.’

MOSCOW — If officials from President Vladimir Putin’s party get their way, a Soviet-style practice of naming and shaming citizens for bad behavior may soon be instituted in the Russian capital.

Oleg Smolkin, the United Russia party’s executive head in Moscow, told state-owned news network Moscow 24 this week that there are plans to set up “boards of shame” online and along the entrances of apartment buildings to out residents who commit such petty atrocities as smoking in the wrong place, drinking alcohol on kids' playgrounds, parking their cars on lawns or letting their dogs poop in the wrong section of courtyards.

It’s all part of a project called Safe Capital that is scheduled for a full roll-out in June. Other features of the program include United Russia-organized citizen patrol teams, which will monitor Moscow’s neighborhoods to crack down on petty crime, according to a report this month in the newspaper Kommersant.

Those who are caught — and, as Smolkin told Moscow 24, they are already starting to collect information about suspected offenders in preparation for what the publication referred to as “raids” — will see their pictures go up on a board of shame, both online and in the entryways of buildings in their neighborhoods.

“The photo shows a concrete fact. It will be photographic reportage, not a portrait of a person,” Smolkin told Moscow 24, explaining that the pictures would show the person caught red-handed in the act of smoking/drinking/letting their dog poop. The organizers would not post the accused perpetrator’s personal information alongside the photo, but “townspeople will know who of their neighbors are upsetting” the public order.

The venture isn't the first step that Russia has taken under Putin to clean up its streets. Since Putin returned to the presidency, Russia has adopted a series of laws aimed at improving the health of citizens and better maintaining public order. It is no longer legal to buy alcohol at public kiosks, for example, and drinking on the streets is a no-no now. Smoking in restaurants and cafes also has been banned.

But the idea of public naming and shaming has a darker history, going back to the Soviet era. In the heyday of the Soviet Union, when bosses used red “boards of honor” and black “boards of shame” — also known as “black boards” — to highlight those workers who had been performing well and point out those who drank, dawdled or otherwise shirked their duty.

The practice of using “boards of shame” was particularly widespread in the years of collectivization, during the 1920s and 1930s. In those days, not producing enough grain could land a person or even an entire district on the black board. Being so designated usually carried harsh penalties and fines.

The boards of shame, Smolkin stressed to Moscow 24, won’t go up in buildings unless the owners agree to host them, and there are some safeguards to prevent trolling — such as the apparent requirement that only those who have been charged by police will risk seeing their mugs posted online and in doorways.

Patrol squads have already started to collect information about violations of the law; the raids start in June and are expected to take place on Fridays.

7 Ideas Changing the Face of Moscow (Photo Essay)

Thursday saw the beginning of the third Moscow Urban Forum. Titled "Megacities: Development Beyond the Center," this year's forum focuses on the city's suburbs and outskirts, particularly the territory that lies between the Moscow Ring Road and the Third Ring Road, where the bulk of the city's inhabitants live.

If you haven't been to Moscow lately, you'd be surprised at how different it is becoming. Here's a look at seven ideas changing the face of the city.

1. People-oriented Planning

An extract from the report by Gehl Architects. (Institute of Genplan Moscow)

The biggest change has to be the focus paid toward people-oriented planning , an idea that places a stronger emphasis on livability as opposed to other indicators. Danish urban planner Jan Gehl was commissioned by the Moscow city government to analyze how space in the city was being used, and to provide recommendations for its improvement.

The report "Moscow – Towards a great city for people" was presented to the Mayor Sergei Sobyanin and his team to be used to guide future development projects.

2. Repurposing Industrial Districts

Flacon, a bottling plant turned art cluster, hosts studios, workshops, concerts and even a swimming pool open to the public in summer. (Flacon)

Moscow’s industrial zones account for 14 percent of its land area, and as more industry moves out of the city, former factory spaces are being repurposed . Industrial space provides much-needed room for creative businesses, art galleries, design studios, start-ups, nightspots and food establishments.

Artplay, Winzavod, the former ZIL factory, Electrozavod and the Red October chocolate factory are just a few examples of former dead zones that are now vibrant art clusters, hosting a wide range of public programs.

A recently-widened pavement and a bike-docking station in the city center. (Evgeny Razumny / Vedomosti)

The city has given cycling more focus, by constructing bike routes , connecting park areas and introducing a bike-share system that hopes to follow the lead of many European countries in integrating cycling into its public transport networks.

At present, a 50 kilometer network of bike paths and 10,000 underground parking spaces for bikes are planned . This year, bike-share stations became available in the center and southwest of the city during cycling season.

4. Diversity of Cultural Offerings

People lining up to enter the State Polytechnical Museum during "Night at the Museums." (Iliya Pitalev / Wikimedia Commons)

The city's culture department has shown its support for more unusual cultural offerings and is trying to make them more accessible to the wider public with initiatives like days when the city's museums opens their doors to the public for free.

Other events like the Museum Night, Night of the Arts , and Theater Night have been successful in bringing together cultural institutions and drawing crowds, with most of their offerings free of charge. Together with a vibrant independent art community, the events make for a packed and interesting cultural calendar.

5. A Walkable City

Bolshaya Dmitrovka is just one of many streets being made more pedestrian-friendly, offering benches and reducing the number of parked cars. (Denis Grishkin / Press Service of the Mayor and Moscow Government)

Few people walk on the city’s main streets, which were built primarily for cars. Traffic and indiscriminately parked vehicles on sidewalks discourage people from walking, leaving pedestrians to navigate the city in tunnels and underground pathways and leaving streets devoid of life.

Now, more pedestrian zones are being designated, and main roads are being narrowed, providing more space for people on once-crowded sidewalks. and the introduction of paid parking in the city center has made Moscow's streets a bit more breathable.

6. Focus on Parks and Public Spaces

Visitors to the refurbished Gorky Park (park-gorkogo.com)

For long-term sustainability, city authorities must look beyond returns per square meter, and its focus on on parks and other public spaces indicates its shift towards this mentality. Gorky Park, a once-derided and forgotten amusement park that became associated with crime and dank cafes underwent a sweeping transformation in recent years and become one of the most lively and well-visited places in Moscow.

The city also recently selected a plan for Zaryadye Park , its first new park in 50 years, located along the Moscow River on a large site next to the Kremlin.

7. Opening up the Embankments 

Krymskaya embankment after being closed to traffic. (Yevgeny Samarin / Press Service of the Mayor and Moscow Government)

In Moscow, 93 percent of riverfront space is allocated for cars, and heavy traffic discourages pedestrian and recreation use, according to research done by Gehl Architects, but things are changing.

The Krymskaya embankment near Gorky Park underwent extensive redevelopment in 2013, closing to traffic and turning into an area for recreation. The waterfront near Vorobyovy Gory underwent similar changes.

The Moscow Urban Forum takes place from Dec. 5–7 at Manezh Hall. The Moscow Urban Forum Festival, which is open to the public, includes a series of public events and exhibitions across various locations on Dec. 7. The full schedule and more information can be found at www.fest.mosurbanforum.com .

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What's Causing Russia's Record Floods?

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Ch. 9 The Development of Russia

Ivan the terrible, learning objective.

• Outline the key points of Ivan IV’s policies and examine the positive and negative aspects of his rule
• Ivan IV is often known as Ivan the Terrible, even though the more correct translation is akin to Ivan the Fearsome or Ivan the Awesome.
• Ivan IV was the first Rus’ prince to title himself “Tsar of All the Russias” beginning the long tradition of rule under the tsars.
• Lands in the Crimea, Siberia, and modern-day Tatarstan were all subsumed into Russian lands under Ivan IV.
• The persecution of the boyars during Ivan IV’s reign began under the harsh regulations of the oprichnina.

A state policy enacted by Ivan IV that made him absolute monarch of much of the north and hailed in an era of boyar persecution. Ivan IV successfully grabbed large chunks of land from the nobility and created his own personal guard, the oprichniki, during this era.

Moscow Print Yard

The first publishing house in Russia, which was opened in 1553.

A member of the feudal ruling elite who was second only to the princes in Russian territories.

Ivan IV Vasileyevich is widely known as Ivan the Terrible or Ivan the Fearsome. He was the Grand Prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and reigned as the “Tsar of all the Russias” from 1547 until he died in 1584. His complex years in power precipitated military conquests, including Kazan and Astrakhan, that changed the shape and demographic character of Russia forever. He also reshaped the political formation of the Russian state, oversaw a cultural Renaissance in Russia, and shifted power to the head of state, the tsar, a title that had never before been given to a prince in the Rus’ lands.

Rise to Power

Ivan IV was born in 1530 to Vasili III and Elena Glinskaya. He was three when he was named the Grand Prince of Moscow after his father’s death. Some say his years as the child vice-regent of Moscow under manipulative boyar powers shaped his views for life. In 1547, at the age of sixteen, he was crowned “Tsar of All the Russias” and was the first person to be coronated with that title. This title claimed the heritage of Kievan Rus’ while firmly establishing a new unified Russian state. He also married Anastasia Romanovna, which tied him to the powerful Romanov family.

18th-century portrait of Ivan IV. Images of Ivan IV often display a prominent brow and a frowning mouth.

Domestic Innovations and Changes

Despite Ivan IV’s reputation as a paranoid and moody ruler, he also contributed to the cultural and political shifts that would shape Russia for centuries. Among these initial changes in relatively peaceful times he:

• Revised the law code, the Sudebnik of 1550, which initiated a standing army, known as the streltsy. This army would help him in future military conquests.
• Developed the Zemsky Sobor, a Russian parliament, along with the council of the nobles, known as the Chosen Council.
• Regulated the Church more effectively with the Council of the Hundred Chapters, which regulated Church traditions and the hierarchy.
• Established the Moscow Print Yard in 1553 and brought the first printing press to Russia.
• Oversaw the construction of St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow.

St. Basil’s Cathedral. This iconic structure was one cultural accomplishment created under Ivan IV’s rule.

Oprichnina and Absolute Monarchy

The 1560s were difficult with Russia facing drought and famine, along with a number of Tatar invasions, and a sea-trading blockade from the Swedes and Poles. Ivan IV’s wife, Anastasia, was also likely poisoned and died in 1560, leaving Ivan shaken and, some sources say, mentally unstable. Ivan IV threatened to abdicate and fled from Moscow in 1564. However, a group of boyars went to beg Ivan to return in order to keep the peace. Ivan agreed to return with the understanding he would be granted absolute power and then instituted what is known as the oprichnina.

1911 painting by Apollinary Vasnetsov. This painting represents people fleeing from the Oprichniki, the secret service and military oppressors of Ivan IV’s reign.

This agreement changed the way the Russian state worked and began an era of oppression, executions, and state surveillance. It split the Russian lands into two distinct spheres, with the northern region around the former Novgorod Republic placed under the absolute power of Ivan IV. The boyar council oversaw the rest of the Russian lands. This new proclamation also started a wave of persecution and against the boyars. Ivan IV executed, exiled, or forcibly removed hundreds of boyars from power, solidifying his legacy as a paranoid and unstable ruler.

Military Conquests and Foreign Relations

Ivan IV established a powerful trade agreement with England and even asked for asylum, should he need it in his fights with the boyars, from Elizabeth I. However, Ivan IV’s greatest legacy remains his conquests, which reshaped Russia and pushed back Tatar powers who had been dominating and invading the region for centuries.

His first conquest was the Kazan Khanate, which had been raiding the northeast region of Russia for decades. This territory sits in modern-day Tatarstan. A faction of Russian supporters were already rising up in the region but Ivan IV led his army of 150,000 to battle in June of 1552. After months of siege and blocking Kazan’s water supply, the city fell in October. The conquest of the entire Kazan Khanate reshaped relations between the nomadic people and the Russian state. It also created a more diverse population under the fold of the Russian state and the Church.

Ivan IV also embarked on the Livonian War, which lasted 24 years. The war pitted Russia against the Swedish Empire, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and Poland. The Polish leader, Stefan Batory, was an ally of the Ottoman Empire in the south, which was also in a tug-of-war with Russia over territory. These two powerful entities on each edge of Russian lands, and the prolonged wars, left the economy in Moscow strained and Russian resources scarce in the 1570s.

Ivan IV also oversaw two decisive territorial victories during his reign. The first was the defeat of the Crimean horde, which meant the southern lands were once again under Russian leadership. The second expansion of Russian territory was headed by Cossack leader Yermak Timofeyevich. He led expeditions into Siberian territories that had never been under Russian rule. Between 1577 and 1580 many new Siberian regions had reached agreements with Russian leaders, allowing Ivan IV to style himself “Tsar of Siberia” in his last years.

Ivan IV’s throne. This decadent throne mirrors Ivan the Terrible’s love of power and opulence.

Madness and Legacy

Ivan IV left behind a compelling and contradictory legacy. Even his nickname “terrible” is a source for confusion. In Russian the word grozny means “awesome,” “powerful” or “thundering,” rather than “terrible” or “mad.” However, Ivan IV often behaved in ruthless and paranoid ways that favors the less flattering interpretation. He persecuted the long-ruling boyars and often accused people of attempting to murder him (which makes some sense when you look at his family’s history). His often reckless foreign policies, such as the drawn out Livonian War, left the economy unstable and fertile lands a wreck. Legend also suggests he murdered his son Ivan Ivanovich, whom he had groomed for the throne, in 1581, leaving the throne to his childless son Feodor Ivanovich. However, his dedication to culture and innovation reshaped Russia and solidified its place in the East.

• Boundless World History. Authored by : Boundless. Located at : https://www.boundless.com/world-history/textbooks/boundless-world-history-textbook/ . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike

Election Updates: Biden’s Pennsylvania trip showcases Kennedy endorsements, while R.F.K. Jr. gets on the ballot in Michigan.

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• Manhattan, N.Y. Former President Donald J. Trump at court in Manhattan. Pool photo by Jabin Botsford

Nicholas Nehamas

Joseph P. Kennedy II said in an interview that his brother Robert F. Kennedy Jr. should end his independent bid for president. “We cannot do anything that in any way strips even one vote from President Biden,” he said, shortly after more than a dozen members of his family endorsed Biden at a campaign event in Philadelphia.

Peter Baker

President Biden’s chief of staff dismissed the age issue, saying that aides see a vital, energetic and driven commander in chief. “We just don’t get it,” Jeffrey Zients, the chief of staff, said during a question-and-answer session at the Economic Club of Washington. “I’m not saying perception isn’t a challenge here. But he is so on top of his game and is so demanding and pushes us so hard that there’s a big disconnect.”

A White House official left open the option of using the Strategic Petroleum Reserve again to contain rising gas prices. “There are of course things that have been done in the past and we’ll continue to very closely monitor to make sure that gas prices remain affordable for so many American families going into the summer driving season,” Lael Brainard, the national economic adviser, said at a forum sponsored by Semafor.

President Biden just wrapped up his remarks after accepting the endorsement of the Kennedy family. “ There’s nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together,” he said. The crowd is especially animated for a Biden event, chanting “four more years.”

Michael Gold

President Biden denounced Donald Trump, saying his vision for the country is one of “anger” and “retribution” and criticizing his public embrace of those imprisoned for their roles on Jan. 6. Then he noted that the Kennedy family had seen enough violence in their lifetime. "Denying January 6 and whitewashing what happened is absolutely outrageous,” he said.

President Biden shares an embrace onstage with Kerry Kennedy as he accepts the endorsement of prominent members of America’s most storied political family. Robert F. Kennedy’s “passion and courage inspired my generation,” Biden says, recounting Kennedy’s speech calling for peace after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

At the same time, Kerry Kennedy said that she believed Biden’s campaign “should unite not only Democrats but all Americans, including Republicans and independents,” groups her brother is hoping to appeal to. And she has repeatedly emphasized the need for unity to defeat Trump .

Kerry Kennedy has said nothing directly about her brother, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose candidacy Democrats fear could swing the election to Donald Trump. But she is laying into Mr. Trump, calling him “the most antidemocratic president in American history.”

Kerry Kennedy said that she and a dozen other members of her family are here to make clear that the “best way forward for America is to re-elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to 4 more years.” And she doubled down to emphasize that “nearly every single grandchild of Joe and rose Kennedy supports Joe Biden. That’s right, the Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for president”

Kerry Kennedy, endorsing President Biden here in Philadelphia today, is making the case that he is the political heir of her father, Robert F. Kennedy. “He has us thriving again, believing again, behaving like good neighbors again,” she said, as Biden and five of her siblings look on from the stage.

President Biden has taken the stage here in Philadelphia, flanked by the siblings of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who are endorsing Biden today. Kerry Kennedy will introduce the president.

Maggie Astor

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has secured a spot on the general election ballot in Michigan — one of the most important swing states — as the nominee of the Natural Law Party, a spokeswoman for the Michigan secretary of state’s office confirmed on Thursday.

Rebecca Davis O’Brien

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote that he hoped to “restore civility and respect” to American discourse, adding: “My campaign, which many of my family members are working on and supportive of, is about healing America.” Many members of his family have publicly repudiated his independent presidential run, but some have remained close — notably, his daughter-in-law, Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, is his campaign manager.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed his family members’ support of President Biden in a post Thursday on X. “I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today,” he wrote. “I am pleased they are politically active — it’s a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other.”

One Kennedy family member endorsed President Biden today, with others set to join in later. In an interview on “Good Morning America,” Kerry Kennedy said that “nobody competes with President Biden when it comes to carrying on the legacies” of John F. Kennedy, her uncle, and Robert F. Kennedy, her father. The comments are an implicit rebuke to her brother, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent candidate.

Neil Vigdor

Former Vice President Mike Pence urged Republicans not to yield to the party’s isolationist wing while speaking at a gathering of the German Marshall Fund in Brussels on Thursday. He also acknowledged how the foreign policy bravado of former President Donald J. Trump, with whom he served, had resonated with voters. “I think it accounts for some of the enduring appeal of my old running mate.”

Former President Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan is entering its third day, with seven jurors selected and five left to be selected. You can follow the proceedings live here .

Adam Nagourney ,  Nicholas Nehamas and Michael Gold

Adam Nagourney reported from Los Angeles, and Nicholas Nehamas and Michael Gold from Philadelphia.

News Analysis

Biden, eyeing the threat from R.F.K. Jr., turns to his famous family for help.

Kennedy family endorses president biden, at a campaign rally in philadelphia, members of the kennedy family endorsed president biden, rejecting one of their own, robert f. kennedy jr., an independent candidate..

I’m joined here today with my sisters, Kathleen and Rory, with Joe and Chris and Max. And with my hero, President Joe Biden. We want to make crystal clear our feeling that the best way forward for America is to re-elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to four more years. That’s right, the Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for president.

The elaborate rollout of a Kennedy family endorsement of President Biden on Thursday — talk-show interviews, a campaign event with the president — was the most powerful sign yet of rising concern in the Biden camp that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s independent White House bid presents a serious threat to the president’s re-election prospects.

Members of this prominent Democratic family, including most of Mr. Kennedy’s siblings, had already signaled their support for Mr. Biden. Mr. Kennedy’s estrangement from much of his family had grown increasingly apparent over the years, as he became a leading spokesman against Covid vaccines and promoted conspiratorial theories about the 1968 assassination of his father, Robert F. Kennedy.

But this was the first time Mr. Biden’s campaign had been so aggressively involved in promoting the Kennedys’ strong backing of the president, making an open push to discredit any enduring Democratic credentials Robert F. Kennedy Jr. carries because of his family name.

After leaving the work to outside liberal groups , the Biden campaign has now joined the effort to define Mr. Kennedy beyond the gauzy memory of his father and two uncles, who for many members of Mr. Biden’s fraying coalition, including Black voters, Latinos and blue-collar workers, continue to symbolize Democratic politics in America.

Democratic worries about Mr. Kennedy have grown as he has turned up his attacks on the president and worked to win ballot lines in critical battleground states. Michigan election officials announced on Thursday that he had secured a spot as a member of a little-known third party.

“I can only imagine how Donald Trump’s outrageous lies and behavior would horrify my father, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, who proudly served as attorney general of the United States, and honored his pledge to uphold the law and protect the country,” Kerry Kennedy, one of the independent presidential candidate’s siblings, said as she stood next to Mr. Biden, addressing about 150 people at a recreation center gym in Philadelphia. “Daddy stood for equal justice, for human rights and freedom from want and fear. Just as President Biden does today.”

“Nearly every single grandchild of Joe and Rose Kennedy supports Joe Biden,” she said. “That’s right: The Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for president.”

Responding on social media, Mr. Kennedy avoided engaging with his family’s rejection of his candidacy.

“I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today,” he wrote . “I am pleased they are politically active — it’s a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other.”

Mr. Biden, thanking the Kennedy family for its support, spoke repeatedly about how much the Kennedys — in particular John and Robert F. Kennedy — had shaped his views and political career.

“Today I sit behind the Resolute Desk where President John F. Kennedy once sat,” he said. “I sit at that desk and I look in front of the fireplace. To the left is a bust of Martin Luther King. To the right is a bust of your dad.”

In truth, the debate remains open about whether a Kennedy candidacy hurts Mr. Biden more than it hurts former President Donald J. Trump. (One point of agreement between the two major candidates’ camps is that there is little chance Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could win the White House himself.)

Mr. Biden’s advisers argued that Democrats who might be drawn to the Kennedy name will drift away as they learn more about his promotion of conspiracy theories and the financial support that a major Trump donor has given to his super PAC .

Voters have expressed increasing disapproval of Mr. Kennedy, according to 538’s polling average . As Mr. Kennedy has earned more exposure from the news media over the last month, the percentage of Americans with an unfavorable view of him has increased by roughly six percentage points. In Wisconsin, a key battleground, Mr. Kennedy is taking more votes from independents and Republicans than from Democrats, according to an April poll by Marquette Law School .

Still, given the tough re-election fight Mr. Biden faces, his campaign is moving forcefully, and the events on Thursday were the latest example of that.

While the Kennedy family is not what it once was in American politics, fading in relevance for a new generation of voters who may be more familiar with the Clintons than the Kennedys, it is still potentially influential among the kinds of voters in battleground states like Pennsylvania who appear at risk of moving to Mr. Trump.

“There’s a very famous tour that J.F.K. did of smaller western Pennsylvania towns in the ’62 midterms,” said Conor Lamb, a Democratic former congressman from Pennsylvania. “There’s still pictures on the walls in every one of those towns of Kennedy being there and how much he meant to them.”

At 70, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. looks very much like his father and his uncles, John and Edward M. Kennedy. In the Kennedy family, he had — before his ideological drift in recent years — been viewed as the most politically gifted of Robert F. Kennedy’s children, with the most potential to embark on his own career in elective politics.

Now, though, a Democratic president’s campaign is seeking to define him as a candidate who, despite his name and legacy, is more politically aligned with Mr. Trump than with the Kennedy whose portrait appears on those walls in western Pennsylvania.

“You put the name Kennedy on the ballot and Democrats are going to feel torn,” Joseph P. Kennedy II said in an interview after the event. “And we are trying to make them understand that this is an issue that they do not have to feel torn about.”

Asked if he would encourage his brother to drop out, he said, “Of course I would.”

Still, if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stays in the race, Democrats hope that they can ensure his support comes mainly from voters who might otherwise have backed Mr. Trump, at once bolstering Mr. Biden and weakening his Republican rival. Mr. Trump seems wary of this danger, and has stepped up on his attacks on Mr. Kennedy , trying to paint him as part of the “radical left.”

The main super PAC supporting Mr. Trump, MAGA Inc., introduced a website this week pushing those attacks, criticizing Mr. Kennedy over his policies on taxes, gun control and climate change. (The website’s name uses Mr. Kennedy’s initials to call him “radical” and an epithet used to express disdain.)

Still, Mr. Trump has privately spoken with associates about the notion of choosing Mr. Kennedy as his running mate, though it is unclear if he is serious about the idea. When pressed at a campaign stop in Harlem on Tuesday, Mr. Trump described Mr. Kennedy as a “nice guy” and a “good person.” Mr. Kennedy has said he would not accept a spot on a Trump ticket.

After the endorsement event, Joseph P. Kennedy II and Joseph P. Kennedy III, a former Democratic congressman from Massachusetts, met with residents at a lush community garden in a quiet residential neighborhood of Philadelphia that has been gentrifying.

One man tried to give the younger Kennedy two baseball caps for Philly sports teams. “I know you’re never supposed to reject a gift,” Mr. Kennedy joked as he held them.

He then encouraged the roughly dozen people there to volunteer for the Biden campaign, arguing that their help could decide the election.

R.F.K. Jr.’s campaign received $2 million from his running mate, Nicole Shanahan.

As Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s independent presidential campaign ran up debts and spent heavily on ballot access, security and consultants, he received a lifeline at the end of March in the form of a $2 million cash infusion from his newly minted running mate, Nicole Shanahan , a new campaign filing shows.

Mr. Kennedy’s campaign reported raising $5.4 million in March, including the money from Ms. Shanahan, which was recorded on March 27 — the day after he announced her as his running mate.

The campaign reported spending $4.5 million in March, an increase from the previous month, and listed $1.6 million in debts, all of which were payments owed to Mr. Kennedy’s security consultant, Gavin de Becker, the filing to the Federal Election Commission shows.

The campaign has paid Mr. de Becker’s firm $2.5 million over the past year.

The campaign ended the month with $6 million on hand, according to the filing.

Under federal law, candidates can inject unlimited money into their own campaigns, and are not subject to the $6,600 individual limits for general-election contributions. Ms. Shanahan, a wealthy Silicon Valley lawyer and investor, was until last year married to the Google co-founder Sergey Brin.

Ms. Shanahan, 38, has already supported Mr. Kennedy’s candidacy with a $4 million contribution to a super PAC backing him — that money went toward a Super Bowl ad that Ms. Shanahan helped conceive of earlier this year.

Among other major expenses in March, the campaign paid $326,000 for “campaign consulting” to Accelevate 2020, a ballot-access and signature-gathering company in Texas.

Getting his presidential ticket on the ballot, particularly in battleground states, is Mr. Kennedy’s most pressing task as he looks to take on both President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, in November.

Gaining ballot access is often expensive and convoluted, and Mr. Kennedy is seeking to do it in all 50 states through a combination of independent petitions and third-party nominations.

Mr. Kennedy on Thursday announced that he had secured a spot on the ballot in the swing state of Michigan, after gaining the nomination of the Natural Law Party, which already had ballot access in the state.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be on the general election ballot in Michigan.

On the same day that more than a dozen members of his family endorsed President Biden , Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Thursday that he had secured a spot on the ballot in Michigan, one of the swing states likely to decide the election.

The Natural Law Party, which has ballot access in Michigan, nominated Mr. Kennedy and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, for president and vice president. A spokeswoman for the Michigan secretary of state’s office confirmed that this meant Mr. Kennedy would be on the ballot in November.

Mr. Kennedy is seeking ballot access in all 50 states through a mixture of independent petitions and third-party nominations. In some states, he has filed to create his own party . At the same time, Democratic allies of Mr. Biden are working to challenge his access to the ballot .

In a statement released by Mr. Kennedy’s campaign, Doug Dern, the chairman of the Natural Law Party, called him “the most qualified candidate in the modern-day history of America.”

Mr. Kennedy, an environmental lawyer known for his antivaccine activism, has spread misinformation about the risks of vaccinations and about other subjects . He also drew attention recently for suggesting that Mr. Biden might pose a greater threat to democracy than former President Donald J. Trump, who tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election, a claim that democracy experts called absurd .

While Mr. Kennedy is generally polling in single digits nationally, Mr. Biden’s campaign is worried that he could draw enough support in battleground states like Michigan to tip a close election to Mr. Trump.

Mr. Kennedy’s relatives are worried about that, too — as evidenced by their show of force for Mr. Biden on Thursday, when a group of them appeared alongside him at a campaign event in Pennsylvania.

No, John Mellencamp did not promote President Biden onstage.

The song opened on cue with a “little ditty about Jack and Diane,” but then the music abruptly stopped. John Mellencamp had barely finished the second verse of his smash hit when an exchange with a heckler had clearly gotten on his nerves.

“You know what?” he told concertgoers last month in Toledo, Ohio. “Show’s over.”

Videos capturing the moment when the singer walked off the stage have ricocheted for weeks online. A cascade of right-wing chatter on social media has fueled the perception that Mr. Mellencamp brought it on himself by promoting President Biden during the show.

But that was not the case.

An audio recording provided to The New York Times by Mr. Mellencamp’s representatives, and an interview with a reporter who covered the March 17 concert for The Blade in Toledo, show that the exchange started when a heckler grew frustrated with the singer’s long-winded reminiscences about his late grandmother. Representatives for Mr. Mellencamp, who returned to the stage and resumed the concert that night several minutes after walking out, declined further comment.

Mr. Mellencamp is an unabashed liberal who has previously barred several Republican presidential candidates from using his songs at political events and has assailed Congress for its response to gun violence. But the exchange with the heckler in Toledo did not stem from any political commentary that happened onstage.

“The word Biden or election never escaped John Mellencamp’s mouth that night,” Jason Webber, who covers music for The Blade, said in an interview.

Mr. Mellencamp, 72, a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame , had been sharing an anecdote about how his grandmother, who had lived until the age of 100, had once cautioned him that “you’re not going to get into heaven if you don’t stop this cussing and smoking all the time.”

Not everyone appreciated his storytelling. “Play some music!” one concertgoer shouted, drawing a rebuke from Mr. Mellencamp, who called the man an expletive. The audience began to murmur, with some voicing their disapproval of the man’s interruption and some others sounding impatient, too.

At that point onstage, the singer enlisted help from his security team. “Hey Joe, find this guy and let me see him after the show,” he said, referring to one of his security guards. It was not clear whether some of Mr. Mellencamp’s critics had misinterpreted his reference to the security guard as a reference to the president.

Mr. Mellencamp then suggested that he would cut short his concert because of the heckling.

Scott Walker, a former Wisconsin governor who sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, pounced on the situation online.

“He’s been a jerk for a long time,” Mr. Walker said of Mr. Mellencamp in a post Tuesday on social media .

Mr. Walker linked to a social media post by the Citizen Free Press, a right-wing news aggregation website that had erroneously attributed the heckling and Mr. Mellencamp’s reaction to politics. The site later removed the post from X and acknowledged its mischaracterization.

“CORRECTION,” it wrote in a separate post on X . “The John Cougar Mellencamp video currently going viral has nothing to do with politics or Joe Biden.”

Representatives for Mr. Walker did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

Even after the Citizen Free Press posted its correction, right-wing voices have not relented in criticizing Mr. Mellencamp on X, where his name continued to trend this week.

“Dude in the audience is right,” one commenter on X wrote on Tuesday before the correction, combining references to Mr. Mellencamp’s former stage name, John Cougar Mellencamp, and the MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. “They didn’t pay to hear John Cougar Maddow.”

Mr. Webber, the Blade reporter, said he shook his head over the level of misinformation online.

“It’s not like he was up there preaching about politics,” he said.

Mr. Webber said he would be surprised if Mr. Mellencamp had a significant following on the far right in the first place. “A right-wing person going to a John Mellencamp concert would be like a leftist going to see Ted Nugent,” he said.

He estimated that the concert was interrupted for about five minutes before Mr. Mellencamp returned to the stage. But the singer did not pick up where he left off.

“He never did ‘Jack & Diane,’” Mr. Webber said.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. brushes off his relatives’ endorsing Biden.

Responding on Thursday to the news that more than a dozen members of his family would publicly back President Biden , the independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cast the endorsements as an example of civil disagreement and sought to downplay their significance to his campaign against Mr. Biden.

“I am pleased they are politically active — it’s a family tradition,” he wrote on social media. “We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other. I hold this as a possibility for America too. Can we disagree without hating our opponents? Can we restore civility and respect to public discourse? I think we can.”

He added that “many” other relatives were “working on and supportive of” his campaign. One relative — Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, his daughter-in-law — is his campaign manager, but a spokeswoman did not respond to a request to identify others who supported him.

Mr. Kennedy, who began his campaign in the Democratic primary last year but decided in the fall to run as an independent instead, is an environmental lawyer better known in recent years for his opposition to vaccines. He has spread misinformation about the risks of childhood vaccinations and Covid-19 shots, as well as on many other subjects . He also drew criticism recently for suggesting that Mr. Biden might pose a greater threat to democracy than former President Donald J. Trump, who tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Mr. Kennedy is seeking ballot access in all 50 states through a mixture of independent petitions and third-party nominations; in some states, he has filed to create his own party . Mr. Biden’s campaign is highlighting the endorsements, concerned that Mr. Kennedy could draw enough support in swing states like Michigan to tip a close election to Mr. Trump.

Chris Cameron

Biden returns to Pennsylvania, and Trump returns to court in New York.

President Biden is in Pennsylvania again today for two campaign events in Philadelphia as he finishes a string of stops in the crucial swing state this week. While Mr. Biden is on the campaign trail, his rival in the presidential race, former President Donald J. Trump, will again be in a New York courthouse for a felony criminal trial, which is resuming after an off day on Wednesday.

In Philadelphia, members of the Kennedy family will endorse Mr. Biden , pointedly snubbing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent presidential candidate whose candidacy has estranged him from much of his storied political family .

The economy and trade have been Mr. Biden’s focus in his recent appearances. On Wednesday, he called for major increases to aluminum and steel tariffs, targeting exports from China .

“They are cheating,” Mr. Biden said, criticizing Chinese steel subsidies as he spoke at the headquarters of the United Steelworkers union in Pittsburgh. “And we’re seeing the damage here in America.”

Mr. Trump, for his part, posted a video Wednesday evening highlighting his maximalist approach to tariffs. He said that if elected, he would pursue “universal base-line tariffs” on all foreign products and additional punitive tariffs on countries that practice currency manipulation. He echoed Mr. Biden in saying that foreign countries’ subsidizing their local industries constituted a form of “cheating.”

In the midweek intermission of his felony criminal trial, Mr. Trump met with Poland’s president, the right-wing politician Andrzej Duda. It was the latest in a series of meetings he has had with foreign heads of state and their emissaries , many of whom share an affinity with Mr. Trump’s politics.

In Arizona on Wednesday, Republican state lawmakers splintered over an effort to repeal the state’s 1864 law that bans nearly all abortion. Republicans in the State House defied Mr. Trump and other top party members who had urged them to scuttle the ban, which many voters see as extreme and archaic.

A planned ballot initiative that would codify abortion rights in the state Constitution could be on the ballot in November, and Republican state lawmakers are considering plans to undermine the measure in an effort to avoid blame and turn attention away from the 1864 ban.

Nicholas Nehamas contributed reporting from Pittsburgh.

Elections have gotten more accessible for disabled voters, but gaps remain.

In 2018, Kenia Flores, who is blind, voted by mail in North Carolina because she was attending college out of state. Had she been able to vote in person, she could have used an accessible machine. But voting absentee, her only option was to tell another person her choices and have them fill out her ballot. She had no way to verify what they did.

Dessa Cosma, who uses a wheelchair, arrived at her precinct in Michigan that year to find that all the voting booths were standing height. A poll worker suggested she complete her ballot on the check-in table and got annoyed when Ms. Cosma said she had a right to complete it privately. Another worker intervened and found a private space.

That night, Ms. Cosma — the executive director of Detroit Disability Power, where Ms. Flores is a voting access and election protection fellow — vented to the group’s advisory committee and discovered that “every one of them had a story about lack of ability to vote easily, and we all had different disabilities,” she said. “It made me realize, ‘Oh wow, even more than I realized, this is a significant problem.’”

It has been for decades. A series of laws — including the Help America Vote Act in 2002, or HAVA, which created new standards for election administration and grant programs for states to maintain those standards — have sought to make it easier. And they have, but major gaps remain.

That is illustrated in a new report to the federal Election Assistance Commission , released Thursday by six researchers from Rutgers University and one from San Diego State University.

The report looked at elections through the 20th anniversary of HAVA in 2022 and found that the law had generally improved accessibility. The shift was reflected both quantitatively (in turnout and the percentage of people reporting trouble voting) and qualitatively (in voters’ responses in focus groups).

But while the gap has shrunk, disabled Americans still vote at much lower rates than Americans who aren’t disabled.

In 2000, the last pre-HAVA election, turnout for people with disabilities was nearly 17 percentage points lower than the rate for people without disabilities. By 2020 — the most recent election that is directly comparable, since presidential and midterm years have different characteristics — that had narrowed to about 11 points.

The gap has always been smaller in midterms, whose electorates tend to consist of fewer and more dedicated voters. In 2022, it was 4.6 points, which was lower than the last midterm before HAVA (5.7 points in 1998) but not the narrowest result over the full period (4 points in 2014).

A separate measure — what percentage of people reported difficulty voting, even if they managed it — showed significant progress over the past 10 years.

In 2012, more than a quarter of people with disabilities, 26 percent, reported having trouble — far higher than the roughly 7 percent of people without disabilities who did. In 2022, 14 percent of disabled people reported trouble, compared with 4 percent of nondisabled people.

But the data showed backsliding recently: The 14 percent in 2022 was up from about 11 percent in 2020.

The lead researchers — Douglas Kruse and Lisa Schur, co-directors of the Rutgers Program for Disability Research and professors at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations — said they could not say for sure why that happened. But they said the increase might reflect the revocation of pandemic policies that had made it easier to vote by mail, or an increase in people newly disabled by long Covid .

Dr. Kruse said a particularly revealing finding was that, from 2018 to 2022, turnout increased among people with disabilities even as it decreased overall. (The overall decrease was not surprising, as 2018 was an unusually high-turnout midterm election.) And the increase among disabled voters came almost entirely in states that made it easier to vote by mail during the pandemic.

“It’s a very striking indication that — surprise, surprise — making it easier to vote makes a big difference,” Dr. Kruse said.

Over the past three years, many Republican-led states have enacted new restrictions — including shortening early-voting periods, reducing the number of ballot drop boxes and limiting who can help voters return absentee ballots — that disability rights advocates have argued disproportionately affect disabled people .

Dr. Schur and Dr. Kruse emphasized that the research did not provide enough data to isolate the effects of specific restrictions.

But “even if they have a small impact, it’s a cumulative effect that people have multiple barriers to voting,” Dr. Schur said. “It’s transportation, it’s the time they have to vote early, it’s the time they have to do a mail-in ballot — each restriction just adds to the burden.”

While the greater accessibility of mail-in voting appears to have made a difference in the last two elections, the progress in the first years after HAVA appears to have been driven by better accessibility at polling places, including wheelchair access and accessible voting machines that can read ballots out loud and mark them.

But many voters reported in the focus groups that poll workers didn’t know how the machines worked.

Two years after her bad experience completing a ballot from her wheelchair, Ms. Cosma tried an accessible machine. It gave an error message, which the workers had to call for help to resolve. When they got it working, she completed and printed her ballot — only to find that the tabulator wouldn’t accept it because the paper was a different size from the paper used in the other voting machines.

“I eventually had to leave without seeing my ballot get put in the tabulator,” she said. “I do this kind of work professionally, I know how to advocate for myself, I know the rules, and I still left without my ballot being counted in front of me.”

Benjamin Hovland, the chairman of the Election Assistance Commission, said the remaining turnout gap could be tougher to close.

“A lot of work from election officials has gone into shrinking that gap, but if we want to think about how we make the next 5 percent, that’s going to require doubling down efforts,” Mr. Hovland said. “Some of this was undoubtedly lower-hanging fruit.”

He said the commission’s focuses included increasing training for election workers and promoting a wider range of voting options — with the understanding that mail-in voting might be the best option for many people with disabilities but the worst for others.

The researchers offered seven recommendations to the Election Assistance Commission and to local officials.

Among them were more extensively publicizing voting options and accommodations, which many focus group participants were unaware of, and having people with disabilities test polling locations in advance to identify problems.

Still, there are concrete signs of change.

Ms. Flores, who had to have someone else complete her absentee ballot in 2018, would not have had to do that today. After a court order in 2021, North Carolina lets disabled voters complete absentee ballots electronically.

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