Lovely post Doreen. The sad fact is that kids will keep going through this cycle because cigarettes are designed cleverly to get hold of you through your teens. It is drummed into you without even knowing every where by the people we know, celebrity, tv, when you can open your eyes to it, it is everywhere BUT when you are a smoker you don't see this. When you quit and you are further enough a head all of a sudden BINGO there it is.
On teen programs they happened to smoke alot, films if you have just had a fight, had sex, eaten something it's all there if you can see it. Subliminal messaging is so clever.
Then of course you go through the denial stage, you know the " I'm not going to get hooked", "I like smoking, so why would I quit".
The highest success rate age is around the 40's that because until we try and quit a few times we really do believe that we can stop whenever we want.
The tobacco companies should be ashamed of their selves but they aren't it a business to them and they will keep taking anyone's money who wants to keep throwing it there way.
Well I'm so pleased to see so many on QT that have said enough is enough I will spend my money on something else. I like my freedom, my body the non smoker that i have become, with hard work, but we are all so worth it!