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 by Danielle Turner, 15
By now, we all know the ill-effects that
smoking can cause, yet still, many people do it any way. Here,
fifteen-year old Danielle Turner urges you not to start a what could
turn into a costly addiction.
Do you think that teenagers smoking look like they are having a good
time? Maybe, but the fact of the matter is that although smoking may
seem like a good idea at the time the consequences can be far more
severe than any of those teenagers ever anticipated.
Come on we’ve all been there: roller skates, hula hoops, yo-yos,
smoking?
The rate of teenage smokers is on the rise and so will continue unless
the teenagers of today take action.
Ask yourselves what is it that makes a cigarette so attractive? The
smoke? The smell? The taste? I don’t think so, however old you are, to a
non-smoker a cigarette is repulsive. It is a worrying fact that for most
teenagers who smoke, it is not simply a phase or fad, but an addiction.
That’s right, smoking is extremely addictive and so don’t think about
taking it up lightly and consider the problems it could cause;
respiratory problems, heart disease, lung cancer... the list goes on and
for me that is not a happy thought.
Sure, you’re thinking, it is easily said that smoking is an option, but
it seems tough when pressured by peers but I understand. Late last
November I visited the park one night to meet up with some friends, a
laugh, I thought, with some of my closest mates. It was, until one of
them lit-up and offered the packet around. Although I declined, I still
felt out-of-the-loop, like I wasn’t part of the group.
My friends, though were understanding, not all of them choosing to smoke
like myself. I did not shout my opinions to the smokers about my views
on smoking but chose to keep my friends that stuck by me, and did not
pressure me to try it.
My advice to you now is, do not give in to smoke. Although you should
not drop friends because they choose a different path to you, advise
them against it as I am advising you now, warn them of the risks; many
regular smokers will die from tobacco if they aren’t able to quit. Also
passive smoking kills, so warn your friends, as well as yourself of the
danger smoking has on the people around you.
Why waste your money on a useless habit, when you can buy something
worthwhile? Remember, do not surrender to smoke!
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