Why Do People Smoke?

Why Do People Smoke?

There was a big discussion earlier in the Blog Explosion Shout Box about smoking and smoker's rights. I tried to stay out of it because I have strong feelings on the subject. My mom just died a few years ago from cancer. Did she smoke? Yes, even after chemotherapy she continued to smoke. Did she know better? You bet she did, she was a Registered Nurse and knew the dangers of smoking! My dad died when he was only 50-years old, he died from a heart attack. However, I'm sure that smoking 5 packs of Lucky Strikes a day was a contributing factor to his death! Her second husband died from lung cancer, but she continued to smoke.

Why do people smoke, I just don't get it? I tried it when I was a teenager, mostly because of peer presure, but I hated it. My fingers and clothes always smelled of smoke, I couldn't stand it.

I remember buying cigarettes for my parents when I was just a child, 20 cents a pack now the price is somewhere around 5 dollars a pack, that's ridiculous!

Why do you smoke? Here are some answers I received when I asked folks this question.

• It helps me think
• It is relaxing
• I am not alone when I smoke
• It is like a reward to myself
• It's fun
• I smoke because all my friends do
• I enjoy it
• It tastes good

Cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of premature death in the United States. Each year, more than 400,000 Americans die from cigarette smoking. In fact, one in every five deaths in the United States is smoking related. Every year, smoking kills more than 276,000 men and 142,000 women. (Source: Center of Disease Control.)

Annually, exposure to secondhand smoke causes an estimated 3,000 deaths from lung cancer among American adults. Scientific studies also link secondhand smoke with heart disease. (Source: U.S. Environmental Agengy.)

Advertising for smoking has been banned for over thirty-years now, yet smoking among teens continues to rise. Just look at the television or movies and you will see why. Actors and actresses who smoke on screen are potrayed as succesful and beautiful, often in sexual situations. You hardly ever see smoking shown in a negative context.

What is it going to take to make people realize that smoking is bad for your health? By smoking you are taking years off of your life. When you are gone will your family say you died from cancer or was it suicide, maybe they will just say you died from stupidity!