Ask any of the older generations why they started smoking and they will tell you that it was once considered glamorous, sexy, sophisticated and very fashionable. No matter who you were or what your social background was, you were pretty weird if you didn’t smoke. There was also the impression that many young people thought that a cigarette in hand made them appear tough and attractive to the opposite sex. Heck, even doctors used to be seen smoking in TV commercials backed with slogans like
‘8 out of 10 doctors prefer Camel’ (a cigarette brand)and
‘More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette.’
Dentists would also agree to their profession being used in the promotion of certain cigarette brands. One that comes to mind is Neo-Pangea, where the dentist talks about how the cool, smooth taste of a Neo-Pangea cigarette helps him and his patient relax. Even the Flintstones had a TV commercial promoting Winston cigarettes. Can you believe there was a TV commercial for Chesterfield cigarettes that actually claimed that recent tests had shown that cigarettes were good for you?
With so much promotion, glamor and health benefits provided by influential bodies, it’s no wonder so many embraced smoking as something they just had to do. Even up to the last few years, tobacco advertising has been almost everywhere promoting fashions and sporting events around the world. So now we can understand a bit why people started smoking in those ignorant days, but knowing the current dangers to health and fitness, why start smoking in the modern age?
Knowing what we know today, one would think that the tobacco market has practically vanished. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and the dangers of smoking do not deter those who choose to smoke for the first time. Even those who have been smoking for decades and perhaps even experiencing health problems as a result of their nicotine addiction make the decision to continue regardless.
The glamorous image of yesteryear, which smoking has enjoyed for so long, is now portrayed quite differently by non-smokers in today’s society. It is commonly known as an antisocial, dirty and disgusting habit. Smokers are often mocked for their nicotine-stained teeth and fingers, ridiculed for their foul-smelling breath, clothes, and hair, and scorned for seriously harming their health and the health of those around them. Smoking has become so antisocial that it is banned almost everywhere today except in back gardens and shop doors.
Why start smoking in the 21st century?
For those who still smoke, and it should be noted that they are not lacking, the cigarette is an old friend that they will not want to get rid of under any circumstances. Many smokers do, in fact, find their way to an early grave, hence the nickname for “coffin nails” cigarettes. Some people just don’t want to give up, while others can’t. Perhaps only a fellow smoker can really relate to this mentality.
Most people start smoking in their teens. It’s no different today than it was in those early days, with one exception: No person, event, or company is promoting the benefits of cigarette smoking! Rather, knowledge about the dangers of smoking is instilled in all of us at a very young age. Still, teenage boys and girls have this notion that smoking is still cool. There is also the belief that they look bigger with a cigarette in hand. And finally, teens being teens probably see smoking as a form or rebellion. Even older people surely remember the fun they had when they were young doing things they weren’t supposed to do!
The reasons why people start smoking are numerous. Many start out as teenagers or young adults for the reasons mentioned above, and other reformed smokers relapse when justification prevails. The nicotine drug is cunning and has a powerful hold on those who dare try its products.