Why Do Teenagers Smoke Cigarettes Essay

Despite the dangers of smoking being widely known and broadcasted, millions of teenagers, including myself, still acquired the habit for reasons often pertaining to youthful ignorance. I picked up my first cigarette at the age of sixteen during a party after a friend offered me one. I accepted the offer and remember thinking to myself, “I won’t get addicted to these.” Sure enough, the curiosity would turn into a repulsive, money wasting addiction that took over three years to conquer. The 21 day experience presented an opportunity to alter or omit a routine for the specified amount of time. I decided to remove smoking cigarettes and all other products containing nicotine from my daily life. After a few struggles during the initial phases, the goal was ultimately met in the end. This raises the question, why do people smoke cigarettes when the harmful effects are widely known? The reasons under aged teens pick up smoking are due to curiosity, peer pressure, easy access to the products, and the belief that “the threat of ill health or death seems very far off.” (Graves Chapter 2) …show more content…
Teenagers believe that they are invincible and do not believe that the negative side effects will appear until many years have passed, despite the fact that it has been proven that the consequences take effect shortly after starting. It only takes a few cigarettes to become addicted, and breaking the habit is extremely difficult even when one claims, “I can quit whenever I want to.” According to Graves, “One third of young people who try cigarettes become addicted before the age of 20” (Chapter 3). The negative consequences of cigarette smoking have been stressed for over fifty years, yet many teenagers start up because they simply display interest in trying them. Curiosity eventually leads many teens to a lifelong smoking