Smoking

According to a online site titled "Smoking facts," Smoking related diseases cause an estimated 440,000 American deaths each year. Why do people smoke when they hear of facts like this? Do they think they are cool when they first try it? I believe that many people who try smoking for the first time say to themselves "I will not get addicted because I am only going to try it once." The people who think this are usually the people who get addicted and can never get themselves to quit. Little do they know that once they try it, they want to try it again and again. Then, the addiction happens.

At my off campus job, I know a lot of people there who smoke. These people always have to take extra breaks unlike other workers, just so that they can smoke. After they are done smoking, I always go up to them and say "smoking is bad for you." They respond either with "I know and I plan on quitting soon" or "Yeah, everyone tells me that." Well, if everyone tells these people that they need to quit, why don't they listen? There is one particular worker who I am very good friends with and he always say "I am going to quit by the time that I am 25." How come 25 is the magic number? Why can't he quit sooner?

There are also people that I know who, from smoking, have gotten diagnosed with cancer. Someone at my church, just got diagnosed with lung cancer. He says that it is not from smoking, but he is a chain-smoker and I have a feeling that is why he has cancer. I only have 2 smokers in my extended family so I feel that I am not as exposed to smoking as those people who may have parents as smokers. If someone would be able to explain to me why people can't even try to quit smoking, I guess i would be able to understand just a little better.