If They Had Told Me When I Was 14 That Smoking Does This, Would I Have Quit Sooner?

[Angeleek]

In school, they warned us about lung cancer and heart disease to try to deter us kids from smoking. I was already smoking by the time that messaging started, plus I grew up in a smoking family.

 

But they didn't tell us smoking could make your teeth fall out, and that new teeth cost $80,000 dollars; that it ruins your kidneys, causes loss of limbs, blindness, COPD, and all the terrible stuff I have since learned about.

 

Had they told me those things when I was a kid, I wonder if it would have made any difference?

 

Do you think better and earlier education would deter kids from starting? 

[jillar]

It didn't deter me

[Reciprocity]

I think they've already done that (better, early education) but not only that, today's general environment that kids grow up in is totally different to what it was when I was a kid. As you said yourself, parents smoked and I know when I was young, even my Dr. smoked right in front of us! "They" could have told me the very worst of everything that smoking could do to me (if in fact they knew it back then) and it still wouldn't have made me stop. Why? I was addicted and young - invincible! Plus, everyone I actually knew and respected smoked around me night and day. Those are the people I took my life messages from, not some stranger on the radio or TV.

Nope! Don't think it would have changed a thing for me.

[c9jane29]

49 minutes ago, Angeleek said:

Had they told me those things when I was a kid, I wonder if it would have made any difference?

 

Do you think better and earlier education would deter kids from starting? 

They did tell us those thing in school. We even had a teacher that brought in a fake lung with cotton filling and would let us pump this foot pump to suck smoke inside so we could see it turn yellow.

But, I lived with smokers. Everyone in my family smoked, all the people I was around as a kid smoked so it didn't matter what anyone said. I started stealing cigarettes as soon as I could get away with it, my dad bought me a pack when I was 14.

It starts at home...my kids are young and I'm already talking to them about it. They see my mom and my sister smoking and they need to hear it from me. I make them change clothes/wash hands as soon as we get home from my mom's house. They ask why and we talk about it on terms they understand. 

I hope I can give them the power I never had to make better decisions. 

[Doreensfree]

I was from the age group ..that were taught nothing at school......about life ....

Like Reci said ...everyone smoked then ...a ash tray was already waiting by my bed ,when I had just given birth .

My reward ....

I started smoking at 11...I was with the older kids ... trying to be like them ....

Would I have listened.....Not a chance ....

The kids today are given a chance to learn and understand about life in general....that's a great thing ...

My two grandkids don't smoke ..and hopefully they wont ....

I was a addict at thier age ....

[Angeleek]

Yes, when we are young we don't think anything bad can happen to us, and if our role models smoked then smoking was pretty much guaranteed.

Edited September 16, 2020 by Angeleek

[d2e8b8]

Like everyone, wouldn't have stopped me.  Not that they taught us those things when I went to school but the reason i started was because older kids were smoking and ... it was cool.

[Sirius]

Ah, that recklessness of youth when we could overcome any indignity to our flesh with a good night's sleep.

 

A child that understands mortality is not a child.

 

 

[Wayne045]

Like most have already said, I was told all of that and started anyway.  That's why I am working on a flux capacitor..... it'll be ready any day now.

Edited September 21, 2020 by Wayne045