With all the anti-smoking ads and medical science proving that smoking is bad for your health, why do teens...

...still smoke? I live near a small (read: practically microscopic) shopping center, which is right across the street from a local high school.

The kids from said high school go to this shopping center to hang out after the bell rings. These kids are not even 18 and are already lighting up. It annoys the heck out of me.

Why would kids want to pursue such a dangerous habit? Is it the "idea" that they want to look cool? Is it that they feel that they have some sort of god complex that they feel that they can't die from it yet?

Or do they feel defiant and refuse to listen to their parents (or perceive their parents as hypocritical since they probably smoke and tell their kids not to do so)?

My dad started smoking when he was almost 18 because his girlfriend was smoking at the time (this was about 72' or 73'). Back then it was the "cool thing to do," according to my dad.

By the way, Dad has quit smoking twice; the last time was a year ago and he is smoke-free.

By the way, I'm not trying to be judgemental or anything.

You have a bevy of good answers above. I'll bet if you asked the kids you see smoking why they smoke, you'd get the usual teenage answer "I don't know?"

I teach first year college kids history, and I am constantly surprised how little actual thinking some of them do. But in fairness to them, many adults do not take the effort to do much real thinking either. Thinking is hard work. The dean told us that on day 1 of medical school, and I've rarely heard
a truer statement.

I think you already know your own answer: rebellion, denial of mortality, looking cool, etc. It is heartening to hear other kids on line here saying they would not smoke.

I saw far more smoking related cancers than I ever wanted to see as a doctor specializing in blood disease and cancer. About 20% of my patients were suffering from advanced cancers clearly related to smoking. These are among the most difficult to treat effectively and are almost never curable in advanced stages.

Someone asked recently on this site why there is no cure for cancer. The best cure is prevention: yet 21 -24% of people still smoke and many teenagers are still picking up this addiction despite education explaining the clear dangers.

A comedian once rationalized that smoking may cut ten years off his life, but "it's the last ten" - - the years in a nursing home which he was willing to miss. I can say from experience that very, very few of the hundreds of people I have seen with advanced, incurable mouth, throat, or lung cancer are 'ready to go.' Most people regret starting because once they began, they simply could not quit.

My mom tried several times before she could quit. Hats off to your dad for his year smoking free. My dad quit cigarettes, but he could never get off the smokeless tobacco he used as a substitute for his nicotine addiction. He died of a stroke which could also be related to his nicotine consumption.
(My brother was angry that I did not MAKE our dad quit the Skoal - - as if we can make others change their ways.)

Bottom line though, I think the kids who smoke really don't care or worry about the future effects. They cannot think that far ahead. They do have the sense of always being young and being immune to death. If they studied history, they would learn that just 300 years ago, HALF of children born never survived to be adults. No wonder they feel invulnerable these days. They see deaths from accidents or suicide, but not many deaths of other young people from infections or cancers - - at least not in the USA. (Africa is quite different.)

Excellent question - but I suspect we are preaching to the choir here. The people who need the message will not take advice from us. I can't sympathize as much as some since I never got started on tobacco products. I try not to preach to anyone about this, but I do feel sad about it.

They should first prove that a prolonged life is a good thing.

cause it looks "cool" and their ignoring the dangers it can have on your health down the road...

the #1 reason i don't smoke...it's expensive!!

Peer pressure! You said it they want to look cool. Once the habit starts it's hard to kick. What I wonder is where do they get the money to buy cigs? Why are the sale clerks selling to minors?

Smoking has now been made cool again by the governments of every country and the press. Also kids will do anything to p##s people off.

Because people want to do what they're told constantly not to.

I think that kids are working with a half of brain

damn good question, i think they see themselves as taking a dirty habit risk and they think girls/boys arround them will thinks its "Hott"

Actually it is normal for teenager to try out themselves and the boundaries that are set for them by parents and society. So they not only wear strange clothes and hair styles, develop strange habits, but also try out lot of verboten things.

Because it's cool, because "everybody" does it, because the parents forbid it.

Sadly smoking is highly addictive...

Because you get a small enjoyable buzz off of them.

its an attitude of immortality..we all no matter the age have this attitude it wont happen to us

Because people are going to do what they want, regardless of what medical science says about it.

Just look at all the information we have about how unhealthy fast food is. People still seem to consume it by the bucket.

Smoking is still "the cool thing to do" in many circles. You probably don't run in those circles so you don't understand that. Also, I'm sure it's been beneficial to you to see your dad struggle with this addiction.

People do all kinds of horrible things to their bodies. I really don't know why they want to destroy themselves, but smoking is merely one of those things we seem to choose to kill ourselves with.

Its because theyre probably expirimenting and then get addcited but its not cool at all Im 13! 13 AND SEE KIDS MY AGE SMOKE ill never ever ever ever smoke because if everyone actually found out whats in it and what it does to your lungs and it gives you mega wrinkles and bad teeth its made of tar TAR thats what my driveway is make of for crying out loud...when you see a guy working on a driveway with all those chemicals you wouldnt drink it! And Mercury for crying out loud talk about cancer causer!
Its really sad to be honest... not to mention the influence on kids like me....I hope you and I made some people think because id be proud of myself if i opened even one persons eyes!

SOME TEENS ARE NOT "FULLY COOKED"

Peer pressure. Stress. Stupidity. Addiction. Ect.

Its harder to smoke now, I quit 4 years ago. Its to the point of smoking on the street and whenever I pass someone smoking I tell them it stinks. And it shows me they are weak. Weak and stupid I tell them. They tend to defend their right to smoke and be obnoxious. There are so many ways to quit. I used the patch and used 1 weeks worth of 21mg and 1 weeks worth of 14mg and streched it out to ;last 6 weeks where I could go cold turkey. I mean stretch out by Using 1 patch for 3 days. it works. And with the patch, you have no urge to smoke whatsoever. None!

I am 15 and in High School, i see this ALL THE TIME! And it bothers me so much! Its like throwing your great life away, i will NEVER smoke once in my life...

I totaly agree with you, im friends with a couple smokers and its just gross, i dont get why you would start in the first place. I have confronted a couple of them but they dont really care