Why Do Smokers Smoke?

I signed up for Triond today as I figured it might be a better place to get some of my opinions out.

Anyhow, I decided to check out some of the other users on the website. One user, Eliza Worner wrote an article that I can completely agree on. The article is titled Why Do Smokers Smoke?.

It's a good question, and she has some nice points in it, especially when it comes to people quitting. On the topic of quitting, she said...

Given what we know about the dangers of smoking to ourselves, our children and everyone around us, there is really no excuse to ever start smoking in the first place, and once the self-absorbed ego of teenagehood has been outgrown, there is certainly no reason to continue smoking. The reasons to quit smoking far outweigh the minor enjoyment of smoking. Anyone who claims they have tried to quit but found it too difficult clearly don't care about themselves or anyone else.

It's an extremely valid point. Why do people start smoking to begin with? I know that when you're a teenager, peer pressure may push you into starting (something that never worked on me), but once you're no longer a teen and away from the peer pressure stuff, why continue?

There's really no point to smoking. Honestly, when it comes to the effects of smoking, does it really calm you down or help you relax? Personally, I don't think so. Afterall, once my aunt quit smoking, she was a MUCH nicer person than she was when she was smoking. Smoking doesn't have ANY advantages from what I've seen. Sure, it may calm you down and help you relax for maybe an hour or two, but after that, you're going to be cranky and wanting another smoke.

I've never been able to stand the smell of cigarettes, which really makes walking out and about a pain because of smoke being blown back toward you by the wind and all. It happened just this morning. I was walking home behind a couple of nurses, and the smoke from their cigarettes was blowing back toward me. Sadly, I couldn't cross the road to get away from it or anything since there is no sidewalk on the other side of the street I live on. There was no way I'd be able to hold my breath long enough to get by them either.

I tried to comment on the article, telling her that I'm glad I'm not the only non-smoker who finds the act completely selfish and totally inconsiderate of everyone around them. I was also going to mention Mom's boyfriend, telling her about how he said he was going to quit, but gave up on quitting about five hours later, proving the line "Anyone who claims they have tried to quit but found it too difficult clearly don't care about themselves or anyone else." completely correct. It's sad that he thinks five hours without smoking is a good attempt at trying to quit. It's fucking pathetic to be honest.