Why do people take up smoking?

Question

Why do people take up smoking?

Answer 1

because it relaxes your breathing, so if you anxious or mad or sad. it makes you breath slowly and it relaxes you, it is also addicting and bad.

Answer 2

I don't know one person that started smoking because it was "cool."  Thats 1950's government mentality BS!!.  One main reason, it relieves stress.  

Answer 3

People who smoke either do it to....

1. Be cool

2. Relieve stress

3. Attention

Answer 4

Curiosity, friends are doing it, sometimes to be cool I suppose. It's also a lot of fun to be rebellious and do something you aren't supposed to, at least it was for me. But mostly, it's because nicotine is a pleasurable and fiendishly addictive drug. Smoking can be hard at first, but once you get the hang of it, it makes you feel really good -- laid back, outgoing, energetic, fun-loving, focused -- so people keep picking them up. Some people feel this from the first cigarette -- studies show that kids who feel relaxed the first time they try it are more likely to go on smoking. Like there was a kid who asked a question a few days ago -- he had tried it when he was 12 and loved it, was wondering if he should start at 16 now that he had the chance. Eventually, of course, you can get addicted, and feel horrible when you have to go without. Not everyone does, there are people who can take it or leave it and be "social smokers," but there's no way to tell which you'll be. If you ask former smokers, you'll find that half of them say they love it and miss it, and half say they didn't like being addicted. And those are the former smokers -- the people who are still doing it are probably more likely to be the ones who like it. I'm in the first category -- I didn't mind being addicted any more than I mind having to breathe, eat, or drink. But as I got older I had to start worrying about the health effects, so I quit.

Disagree that the good feeling goes away, BTW. Long time smokers sometimes think that because they don't remember what it was like not to smoke. But as a former smoker, I can tell you that even after the initial buzz wears off you are always somewhat high, night and day. You really notice that after you've stopped, it's like your emotions have been peeled raw and you get upset or angry at things that wouldn't have phased you.

Answer 5

To be cool.

That's the only reason I can think of...

Answer 6

I can only tell you from my experience. Because my friends smoked and I wanted to try. It's very addicting. I've been smoking for over 15 years and trying to quit now finally. It's a very bad habit. And I regret that I did it.

Answer 7

For each person, it is different, but for the most part, peer pressure, experimentation and copying people that they admire or respect, cause people to start smoking.  

If they inhale, smoking then becomes a physical dependence via nicotine and other additives.  Continued smoking is maintained due to physiological effects, just like any other drug.  Cigarettes are just an efficient form of nicotine ingestion.

Answer 8

They start because it is what their friends and people they look up to do.

It feels horrible, but they endure it because all others are enjoying it, right?

Then that horrible feeling induced by nicotine starts making the brain think faster, feel better, much like caffeine.  

After a SHORT time, the good feeling goes away and is left with nothing.  The next smoke to the next is just a habit.  Purely a habit of puffing and puffing, talking and flicking.  

Now you are left with an experimentation with a cool influence, an addiction that has to be refreshed, and a habit that is so hard to break because it is literally who you are.

This is why people take up and keep on smoking!

Answer 9

Because it's cool.

Seriously, this is why.  It's not, obviously.