Why Do People Smoke?

A common question among non-smokers is "Why do people smoke?" People who smoke often wonder why they began smoking in the first place. It's is often a question asked by children who don't understand the habit or understand that there could be an addiction involved. The truth is most people don't know why they smoke, why the started, or how they are going to quit.

Most people begin smoking as a teenager or among a group of friends. It is often peer pressure or the need to fit in that will cause people to begin smoking. The need for a teenager to begin smoking can begin because they see the “cool” kids doing it or because all of their friends are doing it. It only takes one person to start a trend and a bad group habit to begin.

Smoking is common when people are drinking alcohol. Several non smokers will smoke when drinking alcohol. It could be the atmosphere or the alcohol itself that cause non smokers to smoke while drinking.

You also have your social smokers that only smoke when they are with others that smoke or in a group environment with other smokers. These people aren't so much submitting to peer pressure, but are smoking as part of the monkey see monkey do effect.

Kids that grow up in a household of smokers are also more likely to begin smoking than those who grow up in non-smoking households. Kids that are exposed to smoking often don't have that yuck factor that kids from non smoking homes will have because they are used to the smell and think that it is ok to do because there mom and dad do it.