Smoking and Your Health | Teen Ink

Smoking and Your Health

October 15, 2007
By Anonymous

My sister got caught smoking a cigarette by my mother, who is not someone you want to get caught by. A year or two ago when I found out that my sister smoked cigarettes, I wondered why. I had tried one before, and it sure didnt taste good. She wasnt pressured into it; it was her own personal choice. Maybe it looked cool in the movies, and maybe she wanted a way to relax, but hey, why not try some yoga or something? Cigarette smoking is a horrible habit, and to be addicted to it is horrible.
Did you know that every eight seconds that someone dies from tobacco use? Putting these 'cancer sticks' in your mouth is so life killing. Teens may not think so right now, but how about thirty years later when you develop lung cancer? And its not just you who you are affecting, its the people around you. Because I am around my sister when she smokes, I am getting second hand smoke, and who knows, maybe I'll get lung cancer instead of her. People affect everyone around them, and its selfish to only think that youre hurting yourself.
There are many bad things that occur once you have smoked for a while. You may not see the effects right now, but you will. Effects are yellowed teeth, smelling bad, getting high blood pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, wrinkles, and nasuea. You can avoid all of these things, and more serious things like cancer and death, if you just put down the cigarette. Sure, its not that easy, but there are so many ways you can stop. Nicotine patches and gum, and tons of medications are availible to stop the craving for another cigarette.
Stopping now could save your life, and your money. It is almost 5 dollars for a box of cigarettes. And if you smoke a pack every two days, thats over 70 dollars a month.
So next time you go and light up a cigarette, think about how you are affecting yourself, your friends and family, your lifestyle, your finances, and your future.


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This article has 13 comments.


on Feb. 10 2014 at 10:53 pm
JoshieBoy33 BRONZE, Defiance, Ohio
1 article 0 photos 2 comments
Cigarettes have taken the life of one of my grandpas and made life miserable for my other.  For anybody that smokes cigarettes right now, I wish they could have a conversation with my grandpa right now and he would tell them smoking was the greatest mistake of his life.  He has had many heart attacks and two open heart surgeries.  I agree 100% with the writer about this issue.  Smoking not only harms yourself, but it also harms everybody around you.  The second hand smoke now and the health issues later on.  I have seen and heard what my grandpa's have been through and that is why I won't ever smoke a cigarette or agree that cigarettes are alright to use.

on Apr. 8 2013 at 1:00 pm
you still shouldn't smoke! do you want to get cancer? its seems like u do because you WANT to smoke!

on Nov. 29 2012 at 2:56 am
FreshBeats BRONZE, Colorado Spring, Colorado
1 article 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
You Live For The Fight When It's All That You Have Got. - Bon Jovi

i 100% agree with you on all of this because i smoke and all it has done to me is kill my lungs and i as well go broke, i am trying to quit but i can't seen to get away from any of it. but again this was an amazing peice

Evie52 said...
on May. 25 2011 at 4:20 pm
Wow! That`s alot! :( i hope she is ok

Cubster BRONZE said...
on May. 5 2011 at 4:30 pm
Cubster BRONZE, Lindstrom, Minnesota
3 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You may be on the right track but you'll get run over if you just sit there."

By now the cost for a pack of smokes has gone up to like $7.26. So I totally agree with you on the money thing.

on Mar. 22 2011 at 9:41 am
Joeshmoecappichino, Levering, Michigan
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
\"Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, then you will be successful.\" -Albert Schweitzer

My mother had 2 strokes and a brain anurizm because she smokes.

lol magic said...
on Dec. 9 2010 at 7:50 am
smoking is wrong it make life shorter it make me fell sad and mostly weird life stinx when u smoke

CoolG said...
on Feb. 19 2010 at 11:47 am
Thats awesome!

jaimex92 said...
on Feb. 1 2010 at 7:51 pm
thank you :]

jaimex92 said...
on Feb. 1 2010 at 7:50 pm
i have friends/family that smoke, and im not saying youre a bad person for smoking, you're probably very nice. its just like any bad habit, and i have quite a few of those that arent good for me now or in the long run. but there are better things out there than smoking, and i think you can agree with that at the least.

on Jan. 6 2010 at 3:15 pm
chrissyclarinetist BRONZE, Delta Junction, Alaska
2 articles 0 photos 14 comments
yes bad things can happen from smoking, but i smoke and have friends who do also, and for some people, cigarettes are the only thing that help our lives. so don't judge people who smoke please

sexii girl said...
on Oct. 29 2009 at 11:11 am
You did good

on Oct. 10 2009 at 12:13 pm
dragonfan SILVER, Arcidia, Indiana
9 articles 1 photo 213 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Death truly makes an artist"

wow,you are a good writer and i agree smoking isnt right my friend smokes and he in 7th grade each time he smokes he looses 6 min. of his life =(