Why do teenagers smoke?
According to Teen Drug Abuse "The differences between subjective feelings of those who smoke and those who don’t are shown in behavioral changes that are more apparent in teens than adults. Teens seem to be more abrasive when smoking or they feel like they are older and wiser when they smoke. The American Lung Association estimates that every minute four thousand eight hundred teens will take their first drag off a cigarette. Of those four thousand eight hundred, about two thousand will go on to be chain smokers."
Smoking is a very addictive habit that teens start to pick up at the age of 13-17. Most teenagers believe that by smoking they are cooler because they know its wrong and it goes against the law and their parent’s wishes. When kids are young they don’t want to listen to their teachers or parents they want to do the opposite so they can fit in. Most teenagers start smoking just to fit in and once they start smoking they become addicted. Teens believe that smoking helps relive stress when it comes to stuff like school, work, and fitting in gets to hard. We know that we are getting ourselves into the worse possible thing anyone could do because we know the consequences behind smoking. Those consequences include emphysema, high blood pressure, and various forms of cancer. Smoking does not make you look cool or attractive; the truth about cigarettes is that they are loaded with harmful chemicals and the end result is that they are a dangerous drug that can seriously harm people.
As a young teen myself who has been smoking for about 3 years I would have to say that it is the worse habit I could have got myself into. As months go bye I have increased the amount of cigarettes I smoke a day and in this past year I’ve been sick about 3 times in total from smoking. Where I feel like I’m coughing up a lung, have lost my voice and have had trouble breathing. I’m not able to walk up stairs without losing my breath and I can’t even enjoy the sports I use to play because if I run even a block I’m out of breath and that’s sad. Its very scary when I think about it because I’m scared that one day I’m going to get really sick and there’s going to be nothing I can do. I have tried many times to stop smoking but it’s not as easy as people think it is. I can always say “I’m going to stop smoking” but its always easier said then done. I recommend to anyone who reads this who does smoke or is thinking about trying a cigarette for the first time to not do it because that will be the one mistake that you wish you never did.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Peer Pressure
According to MVParents.com "As kids choose their friends, they look for everything from shared interests, understanding, and acceptance to excitement and leadership. They may choose kids you like and kids you’re not so sure about. And whether you like it or not, children will frequently see their friends as even more important than their family."
As kids get older they tend to worry more and more about what people may think of them. Everyone want's to fit in nobody wants to be left out of a "popular" group so they do anything and everything to fit in. There are times where kids choose the right path to take and there's some who take the wrong path. Peer Pressure can be looked at in two different ways such as in a positive way or in a negative way. Most kids believe that their friends can have both a negative and positive influence on them. "Friends are often positive influences in children’s lives. In fact, 65 percent of teenagers surveyed by Search Institute say that their best friends model responsible behavior. Sixty-four percent of parents surveyed say they spend time each day getting to know their child’s friends." Most of the time this statement may be true but at the same time friends may not be such a positive influence on a child's life because if children hang out with certain kids just so they can fit in they may lead up to doing drugs, underage drinking and, failure in school.
As a young child myself I can relate to peer pressure because I have both a good family and, bestfriend who really look out for me and, who want me to do good. They push me everyday to go to school, stop cutting and pull my grades up because they care about me, my education and importantly my life and future. In that case I have a "positive influence" in my life. Even though other kids may not always have a "positive influence" because they don't know how to pick good friends but then there are some who are just as lucky as I'm who have a good family and, bestfriend just like I do.
As kids get older they tend to worry more and more about what people may think of them. Everyone want's to fit in nobody wants to be left out of a "popular" group so they do anything and everything to fit in. There are times where kids choose the right path to take and there's some who take the wrong path. Peer Pressure can be looked at in two different ways such as in a positive way or in a negative way. Most kids believe that their friends can have both a negative and positive influence on them. "Friends are often positive influences in children’s lives. In fact, 65 percent of teenagers surveyed by Search Institute say that their best friends model responsible behavior. Sixty-four percent of parents surveyed say they spend time each day getting to know their child’s friends." Most of the time this statement may be true but at the same time friends may not be such a positive influence on a child's life because if children hang out with certain kids just so they can fit in they may lead up to doing drugs, underage drinking and, failure in school.
As a young child myself I can relate to peer pressure because I have both a good family and, bestfriend who really look out for me and, who want me to do good. They push me everyday to go to school, stop cutting and pull my grades up because they care about me, my education and importantly my life and future. In that case I have a "positive influence" in my life. Even though other kids may not always have a "positive influence" because they don't know how to pick good friends but then there are some who are just as lucky as I'm who have a good family and, bestfriend just like I do.
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