Smoking attracts people of all ages - children, adolescents, and adults. For different generations there are different causes that persuade people to first begin smoking. For instance, children and adolescents first begin smoking primarily because of the excessive peer pressure that is mounted upon them as well as the heavy influences from people they look up to who smoke. However, adults who did not start smoking as minors, usually pick up the habit when they are undergoing excessive stress, depression, and/or lack of activity.

 

 

“Adolescents behave in accordance with their perceptions – which do not always match reality.”– Jacqueline Lerner, a professor of psychology at Boston College.

 

Adolescents will go to great depths in order to fit in. Some will change their attire, their hair and their interests. However, others will take it to an entirely different level – they are willing to put their lives at risk for the sake of popularity. Children and teens are greatly influenced by people they admire: including their peers, their family, their role models, celebrities and the media. For instance if they see several of their friends wearing a particular brand of clothing, they would be more inclined to purchase items from that line now that they see their friends are wearing it. The same goes for smoking. If a child sees someone he/she looks up to, smoking (such as a parent, a celebrity, a friend, etc.) then he/she is more tempted to pick up the habit as well.

At schools, adolescents are forced to make tough decisions every day and undergo much stress about making these decisions. They are commonly influenced to make a decision by their peers and sometimes cave in for them to satisfy them or to be considered “cool”, even if they know it is wrong. This act is commonly referred to as peer pressure and this is the leading cause for young people to begin smoking. In addition to peer pressure, the fact that it is much easier for young people to become addicted to the poisons in cigarettes contributes to giving youth a life-long habit of

 

“Peer pressure is one reason why adolescents are at a much greater risk than adults for starting to smoke. It’s also why it’s so important for parents to take an active and repeated stand against smoking.”

 

 

Children & Adolescents

Eighty-percent of smokers started smoking as either children or adolescents. Therefore the remaining twenty-percent of smokers started smoking as adults. Adults may begin smoking when they are suffering from stress, depression and/or lack of activity. When adults begin experiencing stress, depression, or lack of activity, they start smoking thinking that it will "cure" them from their problems. They then become addicted and become reliant upon the nicotine in cigarettes to relieve them from their worries.

 

 

CAUSES

Children & Adolescents