Why do people smoke?

[vkurup]

Was at the town centre yesterday with nippper.. as usual there was a motley crew of smokers hanging out for some fresh air..

As we walked past them, kiddo goes 'Daddy if smoking is bad... Why do people smoke?'..

Difficult one to explain to a 5 year old... Any suggestions?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Habbit , Addiction , enjoyment , the rush

 

[tallpaul]

Initially, due to peer pressure, image, boredom or other socio-economic reasons. Latterly, it is habit forming and ultimately addictive.

 

[ThinAir]

As an ex smoker, I should be in a position to answer this... But I don't think I really can.

I started at the age of 18 at my sixth form leavers do, pretty much the only reason for it was that so many of my mates did it, an I thought I could fit in by having a go and then forgetting about it, but then after the party was over I found myself cadging them off people, and ultimately started buying my own. I hated it. Didn't like the taste, didn't like the smell and hated the way it looked and only carried on because my body was telling me that it needed the nicotine.

It took me ages to quit, but I eventually managed it. I'm not tempted by them any more, but I do have an e-cig as a safety blanket as the addiction is always going to be there.

On the plus side, I save enough money each week that I can afford to buy nice things that I don't have the intention of burning!

 

[Pin-seeker]

Because Jack Wilshere & Wayne Rooney do it.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I used to smoke until I was shown the lungs of a smoker

Havent touched a cig since

 

[FairwayDodger]

I understand why people continue to smoke but what I can't fathom is why, in this day and age, people start to smoke. Surely even teenagers nowadays know they're just killing themselves? Do youngsters still see it as cool or rebellious?

 

[Tarkus1212]

I used to smoke until I was shown the lungs of a smoker

Havent touched a cig since

View attachment 16146

Kudos to you Phil. My three brothers watched our mum die from smoking related illnesses yet they carry on smoking - it beggars belief

 

[Old Skier]

More like "how can smokers afford to smoke"

 

[c1973]

Cos vaping isn't cool anymore.

 

[Hobbit]

Coz they want to. There's enough evidence out there to show how stupid it is, yet many hide behind "coz I'm addicted." Yet there's enough help out there to ensure someone who clearly wants to quit can do so. And then there's the denial, "it won't happen to me."

Their choice...

 

[Maninblack4612]

 

[Oxfordcomma]

No-one mentioning that at times it's actually quite enjoyable? With a drink, or immediately after a good meal, a cigarette tastes great. And I say that not having had one for a decade. Then by the time you stop enjoying them so much, not having one is rather harder than having one.

 

[shewy]

Could ask the same question of alcohol, personally I enjoy a good cigar with a malt every now and then. why do people eat very fatty/sugary foods, difficult to answer

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As someone who did his body some damage with alcohol, it simply boils down to addiction in the same way as smoking is for others. Both are very hard habits to break

 

[hovis]

I know its all about the money it brings in for the government but i could actually understand if the government banned alcohol and cigarettes. They kill more people each year than illegal drugs.

I would stock pile my garage first mind!!!!!!

 

[guest100718]

No-one mentioning that at times it's actually quite enjoyable? With a drink, or immediately after a good meal, a cigarette tastes great. And I say that not having had one for a decade. Then by the time you stop enjoying them so much, not having one is rather harder than having one.

i certainly enjoyed smoking. i gave up as I didnt want to influance my children to smoke

 

[Khamelion]

When I was younger my peers smoked as it thought it made them grown up, I got forced into trying it, took one suck on the cigarette, turned green, coughed so bad I was nearly sick, my peers laughed at me for being soft, I've never smoked. I was happy to be soft and not grown up, but then I didn't stink, I didn't have to go round asking people for a light, I wasn't wasting my money on cigarettes trying to look cool and grown up.

Prior to writing the above I was just going to answer - Sheer stupidity - As I've never smoked I cannot see the fascination, to me the idea of smoking is no more as clever as drinking bleach, both will kill you, just one faster than the other.

 

[vkurup]

I was not trying to judge or take a moral stance with this thread.. it was a question from the young fella.
During my young days it was cool to smoke, it was the Marlboro man and the Benson&Hedges cricket world cup.. but I gave up straight away as I did not have the money also I saw my grandfather cough it out..
the question was about how do you explain to a 5 yr old on why people smoke? If I say, it is stupidity , I think I will pre-dispose him to judge them (or may be I should).

 

[Oxfordcomma]

I was not trying to judge or take a moral stance with this thread.. it was a question from the young fella.
During my young days it was cool to smoke, it was the Marlboro man and the Benson&Hedges cricket world cup.. but I gave up straight away as I did not have the money also I saw my grandfather cough it out..
the question was about how do you explain to a 5 yr old on why people smoke? If I say, it is stupidity , I think I will pre-dispose him to judge them (or may be I should).

Bit young to be explaining about addiction, just tell him they're stupid . Far better to have the child be a little judgmental than to have him smoke.