2006-10-13 03:55:55 · 15 answers · asked by emmy 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
The book "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell has a GREAT chapter on this. He says that when polled, teens generally OVER exaggerate the dangers of smoking...they believe it takes ten years off your life, when it typically only shortens lives by 6 years. So they are well aware of the dangers.
His well-researched opinion is that kids don't smoke because they believe smoking is cool. They smoke because they think SMOKERS are cool. Teens who smoke generally care less about what others think of them, have less supervision than other kids, and do other rebellious things. To their peers, this is seen as something they desire...kids who are always trying to fit in to some group or another are very attracted to those who just don't CARE if they fit in or not. So they emulate them.
2006-10-13 04:06:05 · answer #1 · answered by CuteWriter 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
because they are on fire. not really. Kids smoke because they think it is cool since they are defying thier parents. They think it makes them look older and in a way it does make them not only look older but you could say makes them older since it causes premature wrinkles and it cuts thier life in half. They also have no idea what an addiction really is about. Adults can tell them until they are blue in the face but no one can understand something that they have never felt. Good thing that not all kids end up smoking. To bad the ones that do smoke cant be given that stuff that makes you want to throw up if you do smoke so they wouldnt want to ever smoke again. Smoking by anyone should be ilegal since it does so much harm to everyone but since the gov. makes a nice little bundle off of it that will never happen.
2006-10-13 11:15:07 · answer #2 · answered by hersheynrey 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because elders smoke in the kids presence. Remember, kids learn and practise everything they see from elders. So, stop smoking in the presence of kids.
2006-10-13 11:03:00 · answer #3 · answered by Isaac R 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if they have friends that smoke then 9 times out of 10 there going to try and smoke as well to try and keep up with there friends,that's a good question emmy,
2006-10-13 11:20:18 · answer #4 · answered by janice b 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They want to look cool or they are either influenced by somebody. Anyways, smoking sucks. People spend a load of money trying to harm themselves with cigarrettes while poor people are looking for money to buy food and survive.
2006-10-13 11:02:46 · answer #5 · answered by BMW M5 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To fit into a persona they think is cool. Also, it is done out of rebellion towards what is perceived as doing right. Sort of a "see, I do what I want!" kind of thing. It's quite sad really. Peace
2006-10-13 11:01:09 · answer #6 · answered by rasputin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
to me they do it to be cool... but i have stopped alot of kids from smoking i show them the scar down my chest and they think 2xs about it
2006-10-13 11:14:31 · answer #7 · answered by XoXoXo X 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
perhaps they have parents who smoke, perhaps never were educated about smoking at a young age.
2006-10-13 10:59:25 · answer #8 · answered by wisdom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pretty much the same reason adults do........they like it and then get addicted!
2006-10-13 10:58:08 · answer #9 · answered by crownvic64 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
becaue their parents or their friends parents do & they think it's cool or peer pressure
2006-10-13 11:02:06 · answer #10 · answered by Red 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋