Peer Pressure, the Culprit of Smoking
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Peer pressure and media are perhaps the reasons why smoking is very rampant nowadays. Before World War I, tobacco was smoked mainly in the form of cigars and primarily by the wealthy. Cigarettes, which were basically leftovers of the cigar making process, were used by the less fortunate. The number of people who smoked cigarettes boomed when tobacco companies started to mass-produce them. Their clientele: soldiers of World War I. This marketing broadened of course after the war. In my research, I discovered ads from JAMA - The Journal of the American Medical Association that promoted various brands. One ad pictured a military doctor promoting Camels. Wow! Not only are you being patriotic by using them but a doctor is promoting the brand. I am sure this ad influenced many to smoke, especially military men and women. If your peer was a soldier next to you that was using them, don’t you think that would have a powerful influence on you? Another JAMA ad was telling about how much better you will feel if you use the Chesterfield brand. This is what ads are doing; they try to convince you to use the product. It is my understanding that the AMA did not take a position against smoking until the 1980s even though there was plenty of evidence that it was dangerous to your health and could cause cancer among other diseases. Do you think money influenced this attitude? In the 1950s and 60s, smoking was very rampant on the movies and television. Actors even made some ads on various products in a certain TV show. They made it look romantic and classy. Some of you may recall the “Marlboro Man” (rugged-looking cowboy)? There were actually several men who modeled for print and TV ads. At least two of them have died of lung cancer. For many years, tobacco companies have been lying to us on the dangers of Nicotine and smoking. Luckily, we developed more and more knowledge about these hazardous things and made some steps on restriction to some advertisements on cigarettes. If people around you are fund of smoking, there will be a chance that you will develop this habit too. An environment that goes easy on smoking has a possibility of producing large numbers of smokers. You will not want to be left out and want to be called uncool and become unaccepted in a group so you try what they are doing. This is peer pressure at work. If you have been smoking for quite a while, you may not realize it but you form some emotional attachment to cigarettes. You will find them calming and comforting during stressful times. It somehow becomes an extension of your social life and the peer pressure continues. Giving up smoking would seem like giving up a trusted friend. One solution is to seek out activities to develop new friendships. Look for them in the work place, sports leagues, hobby groups and church. It is essential that you find people who live a clean life (free of the addiction that you are overcoming). . . and still can enjoy life! July 29 2009 11:36 am | Alternative Health 
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