Teenagers waste their money and life with every puff they take from a cigarette. One third of teenage smokers will die because of health problems related to smoking. This does not occur to the teenagers who make the decision to smoke in their early years because of the fact that teenagers think that they are invincible when it comes to anything that might harm them. None stop to think about future problems because they think adulthood is “ages” always and by then they would have quit smoking anyhow. But it’s not that simple. Cigarettes contain nicotine which is extremely addictive, and in order to quit, it takes an extreme amount of will power on anyone’s part. Most teens get lured in by the tobacco industry, and see the beautiful models smoking or something that would be appealing to a teenager, altogether ignoring the surgeon general warning. But those ads are incredibly misleading. Smoking gives people yellow teeth and fingernails, bad breath, more aging lines and such, and the damage of their lungs; nothing like what the models in magazines, etc. look like. Also teens get lured into smoking by peer pressure. Especially in high school, teenagers like to maintain a reputation and being pressured by their friends make teenagers feel like it they don’t start smoking, then they will be a nerd or loser. Many teens start smoking for reasons such as pressure, rebellion, to calm themselves, and just for curiosity.
”I always regretted smoking. I rationalized I would quit at some point in my life and , oops, it’s 20 years later. As far as I know, I have no health problems directly linked to smoking…time will tell I suppose,” says Cynthia DiMarco, a former smoker, “I’ve gained (a ton of) weight since I quit smoking (and started eating), but I’m still glad I don’t smoke. I never had any respiratory problems while I smoked. I guess I don’t feel much different physically, but I am proud of myself. It was not easy…I had to eat a lot of candy!! Now, because I was able to, I want all my friends to quit. I hope I’m inspiration for them in some way. I like to say, “I QUIT”. When I’m with my smoking friends, I have absolutely no desire to take a puff. I’ve forgotten smoking already.”
The worst think for anyone is when cigarettes start to control the actual person themselves. Serious smokers, who smoke about a pack or two a day, can’t even make it through a whole movie without sneaking out for a quick puff. Or when they are sick, they are coughing crazily and they still go outside for a quick smoke’ they are that addicted. Most adults say that eventually they will quit, but just not then. I would be tomorrow, next week, next month, and then it is 40 years later and that person never stopped smoking. Most every adult who started smoking says they wish they would have never started. Teenagers need to realize the past and take advantage of the advice from their elders and the fact that they know of the results of smoking a cigarette, unlike the world’s past generations.
”the first cigarette is awful tasting and choking-so I guess trying one is okay…(not really) It’s the next and the next…when you force yourself to get used to that taste and the inhaling. As far as advice, I would say listen to your body and remember that first cigarette. Better yet, don’t ever touch them. It’s like all bad things-just decide not to even start-you and only you, have the power to make the decision,” says Cynthia DiMarco.
Smoking is a lifestyle and if nothing is done about it, it can be a very regretful and grim lifestyle for a person to live with for the rest of their life, just because of those first couple of cigarettes as a teenager.