Why do people smoke to be cool?

Question

They think it's a fun thing to do, but really it's not.

Answer 1

It is not cool to smoke.  People generally start because of this misconception (peer pressure) and then become addicted to nicotine.  Most people (if they are honest with themselves) will tell you it's one of the worst things they have started.

Answer 2

It's HORRIBLE!!! I quit after being a smoker for 10 years. I started because I wanted a low, gravely voice. How stupid is that? Very stupid. I haven't smoked in seven years, though I refrain from passing judgment on others. It's really hard to quit so the best thing to do is keep people from starting in the first place.

Answer 3

what is so cool about bad breath, smelly clothes, bad teeth, constant cough, and preparing the lungs for cancer.

Answer 4

I smoke, but not to be cool. it just the taste that's all, and idon't smoke in front of family + friends, but i don't do it like all the time, probably once a fortnight.

Answer 5

It's just retarded. I'm 15 years old and i will never smoke. All it does is kill your lungs and shorten your life span.

Answer 6

benjamin straight writes:  People smoke to relieve stress.  The media images of pitching smoking as cool have been gone since the late '90's.

Answer 7

I know I started when I was about 15 and I did it because the first drag I ever took was DELICIOUS!  Then, like most teens, I felt mature for smoking.  It's a natural reasoning to start that young.  Now I'm hooked and can't live w/o my Marlboros.

Answer 8

because, they want to die. the end :]

Answer 9

Because movies and TV shows are their source for what is cool. Have you noticed the return of the smoker to the screen. The cig. hanging out of the corner of the mouth and the pack rolled up in the sleeve of his t-shirt.

Answer 10

its not cool to be a fool

Answer 11

Peer pressure that's all there is to it.

If people around them don't think it's cool and look down on them they wouldn't do it in the first place.

It's also a type of attention grabbing strategy too though

Answer 12

Because lung cancer and yellow teeth are s**y, apparently.

Answer 13

they smoke because they have a chemical addiction and are in denial about it.

Answer 14

i agree i think that its discusting, and most have not respect for people who dont smoke and smoke away from walkways etc

Answer 15

Except that that's untrue. From Wikipedia:

"Recent evidence has shown that smoking tobacco increases the release of dopamine in the brain, specifically in the mesolimbic pathway, the same neuro-reward circuit activated by drugs of abuse such as heroin and cocaine. This suggests nicotine use has a pleasurable effect that triggers positive reinforcement. One study found that smokers exhibit better reaction-time and memory performance compared to non-smokers, which is consistent with increased activation of dopamine receptors. Neurologically, rodent studies have found that nicotine self-administration causes lowering of reward thresholds--a finding opposite that of most other drugs of abuse (e.g. cocaine and heroin). This increase in reward circuit sensitivity persisted months after the self-administration ended, suggesting that nicotine's alteration of brain reward function is either long lasting or permanent."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_smo...

Which translated from the science talk says that smoking is pleasurable, makes you smarter, and increases your sensitivity to pleasure. That is why your friends are having fun.

Answer 16

There is not reason to smoke in this day in age.....years ago it was cool to smoke .People who smoke back in the day are all suffering with a smoking related ailment. Anyone who picks up smoking now is just plain stupid.

Answer 17

Since others have already stated my opinion, I will take the time to object to your phrasing of the question, which introduces bias. Asking "why do people smoke to be cool?" is like asking "why do people jump off bridges to be cool?" Maybe people don't jump off bridges to be cool. Maybe they jump off bridges for other reasons, like depression, economic anxiety, or hopelessness. By phrasing the question in the way that you did, did you notice how many people agreed with your premise that people smoke to be cool?  You biased the results of your "survey," which is considered bad sociology. You should have just asked, "why do people smoke?" and you would have received a wider variety of answers.

Answer 18

People start to smoke mostly down to their social interactions with their peer group - not necessary "peer pressure" or being "cool," but if they see an old brother / sister and indeed mother / father, then it is more likely they will start to smoke.

It could be down to how they appear to others... though I am not 100% persuaded by it.  If you look at the statistics there is a much higher level of smokers among the less affluent than there is compared to more affluent areas / people

This question, like others have said is a leading one...