Why I Started Smoking
By Amber Nikole, age 16, North Carolina
Pretty much everyone in my family smokes. When I was in school they always told me, "If one or more of your parents smoke, then you're more likely to smoke when you get older." I always told myself that I was never going to start smoking, but somehow I just fell into the habit. I was eleven when I started smoking (I'm 16 now), and it was never as bad of a habit as it is now. My mom always bought cartons of cigarettes for herself and my oldest brother. When I came home from school one day, I saw the carton sitting on the shelf and wanted to try one. I was on the phone with one of my friends when I first lit a cigarette. It tasted like crap and I coughed a lot. I thought to myself this isn't so bad.
In the early years a pack of cigarettes lasted me a couple weeks, but now a pack of cigarettes only lasts me a day or so. Smoking is a bad habit, and I really wish no one would smoke, but I also know how hard it is to stop. I hate the way it makes your clothes smell and even your breath. Your teeth change color no matter how many times you brush them.
I'm ashamed to admit it, but I still smoke to this day. Every new year I try to set my goal to quit, but I always back down. I feel like I need one every day. Take it from me, if you smoke or think you want to start smoking DON'T. It's the most nasty habit you can pick up.
