So Why do People Smoke?

Now obviously there are different answers to this question for different people. I thought I would compile a list of positives and negatives to see and compare what the advantages and disatvantages of smoking are. This list has been created through research for previous blogs, interviews and personal knowledge. Please note that there are more positives and negatives that may have not been included.

Positives:

• Relieves stress, anxiety, paranoia and depression
• Encourages weight loss
• Sociable (e.g. having a 'cigarette break' at work)
• Positive effect on short-term memory
• Shortens response time
• Reduces the risk of Alzheimer's, Senile Demetia and Parkinson's disease
• Nicotine provides smokers with a pleasant feeling

Negatives:

• Causes bad breath
• Can cause the yellowing of teeth and fingernails
• Makes breathing more difficult
• Can cause cancers
• Can deminish one's sense of taste and smell
• Can increase migraines
• It is addictive - one becomes dependant on cigarettes
• Increases the chance of various illnesses such as lung diseases or heart attacks - not just cancers
• Decreases your years of life
• Cigarettes pollute our environment
• Those around are forced to suffer the same negative effects - second-hand/passive smoking
• and most importantly: can result in death

Looking at the above lists, it is evident that the negatives outweigh the positives. This is not only by numbers but also by significance. What I mean by this is that being sociable is not as significant as having difficulty breathing. A common response to these negatives is that it is not definant - note how most listed under negatives being with 'can' rather than 'does'.

So if the negatives are so dramatic, it just doesn't seem to make sense. Why do people smoke?!

References:


- Fleischer, G. 2010, 'The Real Positives of Smoking', http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6863535052&topic=13289, Accessed 17/10/2010

- Ritzman, K. 2005, 'Smoking cigarettes has short-term health benefits', http://media.www.thetriangle.org/media/storage/paper689/news/2005/11/18/SciTech/Smoking.Cigarettes.Has.ShortTerm.Health.Benefits-1109656.shtml, Accessed 17/10/2010

- Ygoy, 2008, 'Cigarette Smoking Pros and Cons', http://smoking.ygoy.com/2010/03/09/cigarette-smoking-pros-and-cons/, Accessed 17/10/2010