The U.S. government and groups like the American Cancer Society and American Lung Association warn about smoking dangers, but people still start and continue cigarette use. The National Institutes of Health, or NIH, warns that half of smokers who don't stop the habit will die of cigarette-related health issues. However, despite the health implications, people still try cigarettes and keep using them for many reasons.
Time Frame
The usual time frame in which a person starts smoking is before age 18. Kids Health, a Nemours hospital network information site, explains that about 90 percent of smokers begin the habit before adulthood. Initial experimentation with tobacco usually starts during adolescence, according to Duane Alexander, M.D., director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The habit becomes entrenched during the teen years.
Initiation
Teenagers start smoking for various reasons. Kids Health states that many think it makes them look "cool," and some try cigarettes because they grew up with smoking family members. The Center for Young Women's Health at Children's Hospital Boston states that some teens start smoking to control their weight. Some try cigarettes because of peer pressure and continue smoking because their friends do it, too. Peer pressure poses an especially high risk of influencing a youngster's behavior in families with uninvolved parents, according to a 2002 study in four Maryland middle schools by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Continuation
Kids Health advises that most smokers continue cigarette use because of the physical nicotine addiction. There are other reasons, too, such as enjoyment and habit, according to the Help Guide, an online self-help guide. People often smoke while eating, drinking coffee or alcoholic beverages, or talking on the telephone. Some use cigarettes to relax, combat social anxiety or relieve boredom, Help Guide explains. People who socialize with other smokers are especially likely to continue because it is difficult to quit when surrounded by tobacco users. NIH states that many smokers do not like the unpleasant side effects of quitting, like weight gain and irritability.
Considerations
Smoking cessation is very beneficial no matter how long a person has smoked, according to the NIH. Circulation and blood pressure both start to improve immediately. Breathing eases, and the senses of taste and smell improve. The risk of various types of cancer drops with every smoke-free year.
Warning
Most people get a warning from their bodies when they smoke their first few cigarettes. Kids Health explains that it often causes burning in the throat and lungs. It even makes some people feel queasy or nauseous. The immediate effects disappear if the smoker persists in cigarette use, but chronic health problems like respiratory issues and increased cancer risk develop over time.
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