Teenagers who smoke usually become addicted faster and on lower levels of nicotine than adults. Teen smoking can become a lifelong habit or a one-time occurrence, depending on the individual. It affects approximately 54 percent of high school students in the United States every year. One in three people who begin smoking during their teenage years will later die of smoke related conditions, according to the website Teen Smoking. There are a variety of reasons why a teenager may begin smoking.
Peer Pressure
Some teens begin smoking because their friends smoke and they want to be liked and accepted, notes CBC News. Many adults who began smoking as teenagers acknowledge that their friends gave them their first cigarette and that they began smoking because it was acceptable behavior. Many teenagers fear rejection, so to avoid embarrassment they may smoke as a way to appear tough and rebellious in front of peers. In some cases, teenagers use smoking as a way to declare independence from their parents.
Media
The media often portrays smoking as glamorous. Many actors smoke in movies, giving off the impression that smoking is a cool thing to do. Nicotine commercials advertise the benefits of smoking while downplaying the side effects. To impressionable teens who are trying to fit in, the belief that smoking can somehow gain them social acceptance is enough to cause them to run out and purchase their first pack of cigarettes. In addition, many teens smoke cigars because they are often seen as a status symbol that represents wealth and prestige. The website Teen Help states that tobacco companies entice teenagers by featuring ads that compare smoking to a guilty pleasure that is essential for entering the adult world, comparing smoking with rebellion and independence, and advertising in beauty and sports magazines.
Weight Loss Aid
Some teenagers, especially girls, smoke in an effort to shed extra pound. Quit.org states that the nicotine in cigarettes can suppress a teenager's appetite, satisfy her cravings and keep her busy so that she does not think about food. In a culture that obsesses over how someone looks, smoking may allow teens to achieve the appearance needed to gain social acceptance.
Feelings of Invincibility
Teenagers tend to feel invincible, so they do not recognize the long-term effects of smoking, according to the website Parent Dish. To a teenager who has his whole life in front of him, teenage smoking may seem insignificant. Teen smokers usually believe that they will be unaffected by the harmful effects of smoking because they plan to quit before they become an adult, but in reality most teens continue smoking well past early adulthood.
