Why are some young people so desperate for cigarettes?

Hi,

I went down to my local shop to get some drinks and snacks for my siblings, and a young man in his early 20s, asked me if I had any cigarettes.

I told him that I had nothing and then he asked me if I could give him a single for a £1. I explained to him that unlike him, I don't smoke and take good care of my health.

He then started begging the shopkeeper for some cigarettes on credit. I could have bought the cigarettes but they cost £5! They are so expensive, and I was shocked to the response I was given when I asked the young lad why he wanted to smoke. He said its due to stress - but hey we all stress out even myself. I go to the gym to take out my stress.

Eventually he walked off, but when I returned to the same shop 1 hour later, the young lad was still there begging for cigarettes. I only returned back to the shop to buy some coffee beans.

My question is why are some people so desperate for cigarettes. The shopkeeper was telling me that people in the area give him mobile phones, ipads, mp3 players as part of credit to get some cigarettes

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Reply 1

EastGuava

It's simple: they're addicted.

Reply 2

anosmianAcrimony

Nicotine is more addictive than plenty of banned substances.

Reply 3

clubber

Original post by EastGuava

It's simple: they're addicted.

Its a bad habit - an expensive one too!

£4.50 for a 10 pack of B&H Silvers. It all adds up- 10 packets those = £45.00

Reply 4

clubber

Original post by anosmianAcrimony

Nicotine is more addictive than plenty of banned substances.

Its the extremes they go to.

Literally begging for something that kills them...

I can understand it if it is something that be of some benefit, i.e. paracetamol

Reply 5

DiddyDec01

You will never understand until you are addicted to something.

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Reply 6

clubber

Original post by DiddyDec

You will never understand until you are addicted to something.

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Ok, so I'm addicted to Red Bull.

Most shops I go to sell Red Bull, but sometimes there might not be any Red Bull or I may not have enough money to buy one.

I don't start ****ing giving the shopkeeper and other customers a hard time do I. So, yes I do understand what it is like when you are addicted to something. Yes, it can be annoying that you can't get what you want - but hey that's life. Move on. If I can't get my Red Bull, I will move on to the next shop. I don't ****ing return back to the same shop again, and beg my ass for Red Bull

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 7

ItsJustMe17

What I don't understand is why people start in the first place? Like you know it's bad for you so why begin??

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Reply 8

Georgiina_Tee

Original post by ItsJustMe17

What I don't understand is why people start in the first place? Like you know it's bad for you so why begin??

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Curiosity I just think people start off indirectly peer pressured and start off doing it socially before they realise they're addicted

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Reply 9

clubber

Original post by ItsJustMe17

What I don't understand is why people start in the first place? Like you know it's bad for you so why begin??

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Same! Was taught in school and know for a fact that it is very bad for you. Can lead to lung cancer, bad teeth, bad breath etc.

I heard its a stress reliever. Bull****.

Its a cancer stick with the potential to kill you.

Its the fact that some people will go to extreme limits just for a cigarette. Its incredible

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 10

clubber

Original post by Georgiina_Tee

Curiosity I just think people start off indirectly peer pressured and start off doing it socially before they realise they're addicted

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I think that people who start smoking due to peer pressure are VERY VERY weak.

I don't smoke AND I don't drink alcohol despite people at uni etc doing it and pressuring me into it. So what if they do it. By me not doing it, I am (a) not a sheep and follow the crowd; (b) I am unique, in the sense that I am a minority of people who don't do both and (c) I am man enough to live life.

Reply 11

ApeMob

Original post by clubber

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 12

ApeMob

Ahh The Rock is soooo sexy :daydreaming:

Oh uhhh

Reply 13

clubber

Original post by ApeMob

Ahh The Rock is soooo sexy :daydreaming:

Oh uhhh

Lol

"Can you smell what the Rock is cooking"

Classic WWF times...

Reply 14

laridum

It's addictive. That's why. If you usually smoke when you're stressed, it becomes a part of your stress-relief routine. Routines can be hard to change.

Quitting was the hardest thing I've ever done.

Reply 15

username1345959

Original post by clubber

Yes! You think exactly like I do. I've always thought that people who bow down to peer pressure are weak. And sometimes it's not even peer pressure, their friends may not even be forcing them but they just feel the need to try it because it's what everyone else our age seems to be doing, therefore, it would seem abnormal to have not tried it at all. Over the past few years, there have been quite a few opportunities for me to try cigarettes but I didn't feel the need to. I've also been encouraged to come along and do shisha but I don't see the point of that either. It's possible that I might try some of these in the near future out of curiosity, but I'd rather not get myself addicted to expensive habits, especially when I have other priorities right now which require money.

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Reply 16

XMaramena

I really don't understand the whole cig thing. Weed I can understand the attraction, but cigarettes? Why?

Reply 17

TheLightBulb

I think that sometimes people know that smoking is bad for them but they see it as an escape, similar to alcohol. Sometimes it begins as peer pressure but once you've had the first one, you become hooked. Or maybe you try a smoke as part of curiosity but it becomes a habit. Maybe whilst some people find running a distraction, smoking is more familiar because the majority of their parents or friendship smoke. I don't know, but it just doesn't seem fair to have all the stigma around smoking for some people. I mean, some people genuinely do hate themselves for not being able to give it up...

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