America, home of the brave, land of the free yet people are so attached to something that is killing them, but why? According to the Center For Disease Control there is an estimated 45.3 million adults in the United States that smoke. This poses a question for me, most children now a days want to grow up to be just like their parents and if they pick up their traits and habits that would spring a huge growth in that number for each upcoming generation! That's 19.3% of adults in the United States alone, personally i'm getting a mental image of smoking becoming a norm to most young adults, especially in men which is 21.5% compared to females at 17.3%, so is this what our future is coming too?
Okay I get it, Smoking is bad for ones health and those around them, but why do people still do it even after knowing all the hazards? For most they blame it on the fact that they are "stressed" or its a way to help deal with life. Although that isn't the only reason I've heard, I did my research at HelpWithSmoking and for most of the people under 18 do it to fit in and fall into peer pressure. Most kids also find it a thrill because they know it's "against the rules" to smoke and it can be considered a risk taking behavior. While on the other end of the spectrum some start because their parents smoke or they believe it's hereditary. I believe one of the most huge influences on non-smokers is the media such as movies, advertisements, or commercials. Nowadays its not uncommon to have an "Idol" or some celebrity to look up to or admire, and when one sees this figure light up and interact with other smokers curiosity kicks in.
Why people continue to smoke is still a mystery to me, they have all of the evidence right in front of their eyes, and they still continue. I will be looking into more reasons on why one would keep smoking and how nicotine, the addictive property in cigarettes, can have effects on your brain and body. This topic makes me curious about other addictive drugs and how small smoking can be compared to other major drugs.
Photo Credit: http://www.examiner.com/article/evan-matthews-smoking-bans-do-have-economic-consequences
I completely agree that media has a huge influence on smoking, especially in the younger generation of kids. It looks cool, celebrities do it, so why not, right? I think that your idea to look into the addictiveness of nicotine is great. I think for a lot of people, they know what the results of smoking can be and they know the facts but their addiction is, like you mentioned, like a drug. They couldn't stop if they wanted to. I also think that your comment about children wanting to be like their parents is fantastic because it's so true. Parents are supposed to be role models. Parents are supposed to teach their children how bad smoking is for you. But for them to smoke and tell their kids not to? That's just hypocritical. Children aren't going to listen to something like that. I'm interested to see what else you find out.
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