Why children and teens smoke

[rosemary44]

Many children and teens use cigarettes, cigars, and spit tobacco because their friends do. Movies and TV shows can make smoking seem glamorous and attractive. Teens, especially girls, often use smoking to try to control their weight.

Teens may think that smoking is a way to look more mature, independent, and self-confident to their peers. They may smoke to rebel against their parents. If your child smokes, it might help to talk with him or her about some of the reasons to stop smoking.

If you smoke or have quit, talk with your teen about how hard it can be to quit after you've started smoking.
Children and teens are more likely to smoke if their parents smoke. And they are more likely to quit if their parents quit.

 

[agoraphobickatie]

you're absolutely right! i smoke and both of my parents do.. well, my father dips.. he doesn't agree with my smoking and sometimes says stuff about it but it's all the example parents or other people set.. because i fire right back at him and say "well you dip!" haha...

 

[iamthenra]

Oh so very true.... My father smoked, and thanks to peer pressure and wanting to fit in with the crowd... I started to chew and then eventually started smoking. I knew better, because I have asthma. Luckily I quit a few years later... Then I watched my dad struggle to breathe and then eventually was on oxygen and then I got to watch him die no thanks to emphysema... He litterally suffocated, and he knew he was dieing and there wasn't anything he or anyone could do except get a lung transplant. After living through that I have tried to get everyone I know to quit smoking, because of what I saw with my father. He suffered greatly for over 4 years, trying to breathe and his lungs wouldn't work. It is so sad to watch someone you care about trying to catch their breath from just standing up from the bed. Simple things we all take for granted... It's no way to die... I really miss my dad. (

 

[DillJenkins]

I have seen such association between parental smoking and child smoking.

I have smoked several cigs in my day but it has never really gotten me to want to do it forever.

It does somewhat make me calm but the smell of it and the addiction are not worth such a heavy price for me.

 

[Bar-AKA-Redzer]

I started smoking at about 14, i started to smoke hash at 12 and by 14 i was on the smokes, started smoking hash cause all my mates was doing it then when there was no more hash left i started to smoke and after awhile i was hooked, i stopped smoking hash at 16 but did'nt stop smoking till i was 21. Off them 2 years now!

 

[Sinar_Matahari]

I had easy access to cigarettes because my mother was a smoker. She used to keep cartons of cigarettes until she realized that I was jacking them.
I used to get shit all the time for smoking so I knew that it wasn't cool. I may have done it to rebel and eventually I did because I formed a habit and addiction. Most of all I smoked because I wanted to do whatever I wanted. I did so because I could. Now, I only smoke when I drink.

I used to get annoyed when strangers would come up to me and ask me why I was smoking or they would begin preaching. One guy even got religious on me. Honestly, if I see kids smoking, I don't say a damn thing. Everyone knows that smoking is bad for them. Who am I to preach to them? They're making a conscious choice. I'm not going to get all sanctimonious on some kid I don't even know. I would not give kids cigarettes if they asked me though and I would not support or encourage smoking.

 

[PennyLane]

I smoked because I wasn't allowed to.

 

[klytus]

My entire family smoked, my mother still does. I once tried it - actually, my mother allowed me to try it, because I asked her if it was worth the detrimental effects and she told me to decide for myself - and concluded that there was no reason whatsoever to smoke. It's disgusting. Both my grandparents died from medical complications which arose because they were heavy smokers. My grandmother developed lung cancer - which is, of course, lethal - and my grandfather had COPD, severe asthma, and died from a septic shock, as a result of smoking.

That is, I probably never smoked and never will because I was and am allowed to.

I smoked because I wasn't allowed to.

Pft. ::

 

[SilentType]

I smoked tobacco a couple of times when I was under 18. I didn't do it for any of the reasons described in the original post though. I was simply curious as to why so many people enjoyed smoking and chewing this odd plant called tobacco. My curiosity soon led me to marijuana, which I continue to enjoy today. I don't enjoy it because it's rebellious or because it helps me fit in, either. The reason I smoke weed is because it helps me relax at the end of the day and it isn't as harmful to my body as other alternatives available (including alcohol and tobacco).

Your portrayal of a teens mind reminds me of lemmings following each other off a cliff. Todays teens are smarter than you people are giving them credit for...


Peace

 

[PennyLane]

I actually remember my first cigarette...my friend gave me one and I was coughing like crazy. It tasted disgusting and I felt sick. My friend said just keep doing it, you'll get used to it eventually hahaha. Teenagers are nuts. I also had blue hair and one day chopped it all off....think that upset mum more.

Wow I was horrible!

 

[Noca]

Ive always wanted to market a perfume/colonge called "Smell of Smoke" and wonder how many would buy it. I would like to know if smokers actually like smelling like complete repulsive shit.

 

[klytus]

Todays teens are smarter than you people are giving them credit for...

You probably haven't heard of binge drinking yet. That is worse than nicotine abuse. Most teenagers are impressively stupid. It seems like they don't think at all.

 

[PennyLane]

I

Your portrayal of a teens mind reminds me of lemmings following each other off a cliff. Todays teens are smarter than you people are giving them credit for...

I'm doing a media course at the moment and you wouldn't believe the billions that go into making teenagers lemmings.

 

[EgoZero]

I really don't get why people smoke and why it's so addictign for them. My dad smokes ALOT, but I don't smoke. Also some people say that they smoke to relieve nerves. So I should smoke hell lots of, because I' always ****ign nervous and stressful, but for me smoking doesn't really help relieving nerves, alcohol does, but not smoking. I also really don't find smoking addicting at all.

 

[agoraphobickatie]

i don't find smoking addicting either, ego.. i never had anyone telling me not to smoke, i forget why i ever started, actually... i suppose i'm just a habit smoker, when i had a job, i'd smoke on my way home for lunch break and ohhhhh how i wanted that cigarette on the way home from work at the end of the day.. as well as my therapy sessions, i'm always wanting to smoke on my way home from therapy, i guess i think of it as taking a deep breath, HA! "okay, let me go get some oxygen now" ..i think it calms some people because it does make you control your breathing and all... anywho, i can't currently do the job thing, and my dad doesn't like me smoking around him, so i pretty much only smoke if my mom takes me to therapy or if for some reason i get out by myself and feel the need to smoke.. this is what makes me believe it's just not addicting to me, i don't like sitting outside in the effing heat smoking, so i just don't smoke, haha... it's just a time filler kind of thing sometimes, i guess... ahh, i don't know.. suppose i smoke for different reasons, but if i wanted to smoke to look cool, i'd have started a looooong time ago back in high school, haha..

 

[Bar-AKA-Redzer]

Well thats funny either you dont find them addictive, Because smokes are harder to give up then Herion.

 

[Danfalc]

Well thats funny either you dont find them addictive, Because smokes are harder to give up then Herion.

Yup Nicotine is more addictive..You might not get the withdrawals like on heroin,you might not sweat for a month and feel like death.But pure addictiveness wise its really powerfull stuff.Maybe some poeple can flirt about with stuff more and not get addicted quicker than others.

I still cant believe the chemicals which the goverment are alowed to put into cigs!I'n propa ciggies,there are traces of cyanide and all sorts,they put alot of stuff in there which they just dont have to.

Well I doubt they could care less in the uk,they just keep nailing the tax up.And they wonder why they now have a problem with people smuggling cig's and baccy from France and Spain ect

 

[PennyLane]

If you haven't seen it I recommend the film Thank You For Smoking.

 

[Danfalc]

YouTube - Thank You For Smoking Movie (1/9)

 

[mikestar]

Let them find out the hard way simple...talking not gonna stops kids from doing it