<p>Okay, I can hazard guess, but I am wondering what the kids THEMSELVES have to say:</p>
<p>Why did you start?
How often do you smoke?
Did your parents know?
Did you get caught?</p>
<p>My D has a couple of friends who smoke, they are 16 or 17. Drives me crazy. D doesn't smoke and her friends are decent kids, but the smoking is so icky, I am wondering why kids start....</p>
<p>Do you really think it makes you look older and more sophisticated? Do you smell better? Do you feel mature?</p>
<p>My D had a few cigarettes in her car a few years back ("just clove cigarettes") and my husband hit the roof. I've rarely seen him that angry, and I'm pretty sure my daughter had <em>never</em> seen him that angry. Strangely, she hasn't smoked since.</p>
<p>Kids start smoking because it's an addictive drug that makes them feel rebellious. Same reason that any drug is attractive. Oh, and it's cheap and sort of legal, so easily obtained.</p>
<p>TheMom lost her father to lung cancer and my mom is fighting lung cancer...and she was a heavy smoker. Neither D nor I can stand the smell; non-smoking, it turns out, was a non-negotiable for both me and TheMom when we were dating. I "smoked" Camels for two weeks when I was 18 and in the 20-23 range smoked 2-4 cigars a month; tried to smoke a cigar for old time's sake when my ex-roomie came to visit and neither my lungs, eyes, nor sinuses could stand it. Tried again the next time he visited, same thing. I considered it A Sign.</p>
<p>Neither of my two, DD or DS can stand the smell of smoke. DD was complaining that in one of her classes she was surrounded on the one side by kids smelling of tobacco and on the other from kids smelling of weed...no safe haven.:(</p>
<p>I tried smoking when I was 17, set my hair on fire :eek:, quit soon after!</p>
<p>My grandfather died of lung cancer due to smoking a few months before I was born. He was 59. My grandmother died at 75 last fall due to other smoking-related issues (I don't know the details). Personally, I'm allergic to cigarette smoke--my eyes itch and my throat closes up. I have friends who smoke, but I just don't see the point.</p>
<p>That said, I do smoke hookah sometimes, but only socially and only once every few months. I was introduced to it because one of my best friends is Lebanese and it's part of her culture. My parents don't know about that, and no, I've never been caught.</p>
<p>dmd: "Kids start smoking because it's an addictive drug that makes them feel rebellious. Same reason that any drug is attractive." </p>
<p>Wow, you couldn't be more wrong. Have you ever asked a young person why they smoke? You'd find that the large majority of them do it because it is fun, gives you a slight buzz, and/or relaxes you. Saying that kids smoke because they think they're being rebellious or cool is moronic. Kids smoke for the same reasons they drink and snort coke - because they get pleasure out of it. Would you say kids drink and snort coke because they think it's cool and rebellious? Doubtful. They do those things to get drunk and to get high. In their eyes smoking, drugs, and alcohol help them have fun. </p>
<p>And no, I do not smoke, drink, or do any type of drug. I know people who do though.</p>
<p>Smoking is one thing all my kids and I agree on. They find it to be "disgusting" and are incredulous when I tell them how it used to be so ubiquitous that no one even noticed the smell, etc. Smoking in airplanes, offices, restaurants - everywhere. I can tell they're not sure if they should even believe me.</p>
<p>Oh, and since everything is political these days, I guess I should add "smoking bans in public places" for another one of those things that liberals got pilloried for at the time (still do, in places) and which "normal" people take for granted these days.</p>