Sunday, 1 March 2009

Smoke and the world smokes with you...

We have all had the dangers of smoking drilled into us, so why is it that some of us still carry on? The World Health Organisation says that smoking is 'the greater cause of death and disability than any single disease.' For example on the BBC news website it is stated that over 25 disease ranging from cancer to strokes. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/medical_notes/473673.stm
There are many reasons for a person to take up or continue smoking despite the health risks. These could be such things as:
  • Many of their friends may smoke and so they may continue for socialisation.

  • Some people see it as a stress release.

  • Some people see it as their own personal activity that they can enjoy on their own.

  • The chemical nicotine has caused them to be addicted.

  • Peer pressure, as their friends may encourage them to smoke and do so to be cool. It's not cool people!

  • Some believe it helps them to keep their weight down as food cravings are replaced with a smoke.

  • Some people feel bored or lonely so they do it hoping it will make them feel better

http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/healthyliving/smokingandtobacco/whydopeoplesmoke/

Out of all of these the most popular is the peer pressure smoking. It has been stated that 2% of boys and 2% of girls were regular smokers at the age of 11-12, 16% of girls and 8% of boys at the age of 13-14 smoke and even more alarming is that by 15-16, 31% of girls and 16% of boys smoked regularly:0 http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_3682000/3682258.stm

It is not just of friends that put pressure on us to smoke to uphold a good image as many films have characters that we perceive as 'cool' smoke also. For example Sandy in grease has a drag on her fag to try and impress her stud, as well as Nicolas Cage in face off smoking a huge one at the beginning of the film! The reason why this peer pressure is bad is because no matter how hard the government lay down legislations to try and prevent it as long as it looks cool more and more people will continue to smoke. Does it make a person bad for wanting to be cool and ignoring the health risks or are they just stupid for doing so? You tell me!
For more information on:
The dangers of smoking go to:
For those scary statistics on effects of peer pressure go to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_3682000/3682258.stm
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