The Scoop On Smoking from ACSH: what every teen should know about tobacco

Yumi Demicco

age: 21
started smoking at age: around 16
smoking frequency: 4-15 cigarettes a day
monthly expenditure on tobacco:
tried to quit at age: around $50

Interview

the basics

Tell us about yourself

I go to university. Completed 2 years of college and 2 years in sales. Was studying architecture and now international business.

What is your current status of tobacco use and in what form? (# of packs/cigs daily, quit, trying to quit)

Depending on the day, anywhere from 4-15 cigarettes a day. I like to smoke cigarettes but don't absolutely have to. When I am around someone who doesn't smoke, I simply won't.

Is smoking very popular among your friends?

No, only a few smoke. They don't particularly care for it, so I try not to smoke as much around my non-smoking friends, if at all.

Do your parents know that you smoke?

Yes.

If they do know, what do they think about it?

They are not crazy about it, but I am older now, so they let me make my own decisions.

Do you know the current dangers of smoking?

Yes.

Are you worried about how tobacco will impact your health in the future?

Somewhat.

the beginning

Why did you start smoking?

It was a rebellious thing. I wanted to rebel against my father, so I did something that was "bad." My father didn't find out I smoked until I was 19. I told him myself, though. I think it was enough for me to do it without most people knowing.

If you obtained tobacco products before you were 18, how did you get them?

I went to the store and bought them myself.

Do you worry that you will not be able to get tobacco products when you need them?

No.

How aware were you of the health dangers when you started smoking?

I was definitely aware of the health dangers.

Did the health dangers scare you when you started?

No.

Why not?

I have a general problem with not really thining about long-term repercussions of my actions if I feel there will be no immediate short-term consequences.

the effects of smoking

What were some of health effects you experienced?

Coughing: at time
Mucus: When I wake up in the morning, I tend to be a bit phlegmy.

Did smoking have any effects on your personal life?

Relationships (friends/parents/significant others): When I sing, my breath support isn't as strong as it used to be. I think it's a combination of smoking and being out of practice. I don't sing as much as I used to.
Sports or hobbies: I belong to a sports gym and play tennis. When I started playing, I got tired quickly. Since continuing, my stamina has increased.

quitting

Have you ever tried to quit?

No.

If you have not tried to completely quit, why not?

I don't have any motivation not to smoke.

Do you think you will have trouble quitting when you decide to completely quit?

Probably.

Do you think you are addicted to cigarettes?

Yes.

the picture

Any comments on this graphic picture of what happens to a smoker's body?

I understand that smoking is bad for your health and there are physical repercussions, but there are potential repercussions for almost everything a person can do. For example, lots of people eat candy. There are no nutritional benefits to eating candy, but it can cause obesity and potentially diabetes, and who knows what else. Does that mean no one should eat candy and there should be a national campaign against it? My grandfather is 92 and has been smoking a pack a day; my other grandfather smoked many cigars a day and had cancer of the larynx and mouth and died in his late fifties/early sixties. No one can say what is going to happen to a person if they smoke. There are only certain things that MAY happen. Graphic pictures don't deter me from smoking any more than graphic pictures of a car accident would deter me from driving.

If you had seen this picture before you started smoking, would you have started?

Yes.

parting words

Lastly, do you have any words of advice you would like to give to other teenagers who are either considering starting to smoke or already smoking?

Honestly, it is an expensive habit that isn't really necessary. If I could go back, knowing what I know today about how it makes me feel and how much money I have spent on it, I probably would not have started smoking; there are better things to do with your time and money.