Cause and effect	En 101 05
October 30, 1996


Teen Smoking

Due to peer pressure, propaganda and availability, teenage smoking has been
on the rise since 1986. Three thousand children start using tobacco each day
because of the negative influences aimed toward them. Our President and the
American Medical Association have taken action and have urged tobacco
companies to do the same against under age smoking. Despite all positive actions
against it, "pack-a-day" smoking has risen thirty-three Percent in the past ten years
among high school seniors.
Throughout life children and adults are being persuaded to do or try
something that goes against what they believe. Peer pressure is common place in
grade school, where children are constantly being exposed to smoking. Cigarettes
are being smoked everywhere authority is not, during school or any other place kids
congregate. Kids smoke because they want to feel like they 'fit in' and they want to
rebel at the same time. "U.S. News discussed the smoking issue with twenty
teenagers from suburban Baltimore. Half were boys, half  girls, and all were
between the ages of fifteen and seventeen. Over more than four hours of
conversation, it became clear that most teens smoked for two seemingly
contradictory reasons: They want to be part of a peer group, while rejecting society
and its norms. They want to reach out and rebel at the same time."(Roberts 38)
Tobacco companies spend four billion dollars each year in advertising and
promotional costs and claim there is no health risk. Six hundred thousand people die
every year from smoking related illness, and others quit. Teenagers are not
concerned about their health.  The tobacco industry tries to appeal to the youth. The
earlier kids get hooked, the more secure the companies' sales are. "For the tobacco
industry, these youngsters are an essential source of new customers. While cigarette
makers deny it, advertising and promotion of youthful smoking clearly helped attract
the attention of teens. The rate of youthful smoking dropped steadily from 1976 until
1984, then leveled off--just as cigarette companies boosted promotional
budgets."(Roberts 38)  	
Availability of cigarettes for minors is easier than one might think. Children
have access to tobacco products many ways. They could steal them from their
parent or relative, and from a store. Their family might also give them cigarettes,
and the child smokes them with their friends. Kids can purchase smokes from an
unguarded vending machine or gas station with ease. If that does not work they can
ask someone old enough to buy packs for them. Although, it is just as easy to walk
into any store and ask for them. Convenience stores are constantly getting fined for
the underage sale of tobacco. If laws were more strict on the sale of tobacco to
minors, then kids would smoke less. The harder it is to get cigarettes, the less they
will smoke them.
It is clear from the surveys and articles published that teen smoking is on the
rise. Teenage smoking is escalating at the rate of one million new recruits a year.
Despite the work of governmental and independent agencies the tobacco industries
continue to sell cigarettes at an alarming rate, due to peer pressure propaganda and
availability of the product. Something must be done to make people aware of the
risks.  
 
  	








	
Cause and effect	En 101 05
October 30, 1996


Teen Smoking

Due to peer pressure, propaganda and availability, teenage smoking has been
on the rise since 1986. Three thousand children start using tobacco each day
because of the negative influences aimed toward them. Our President and the
American Medical Association have taken action and have urged tobacco
companies to do the same against under age smoking. Despite all positive actions
against it, "pack-a-day" smoking has risen thirty-three Percent in the past ten years
among high school seniors.
Throughout life children and adults are being persuaded to do or try
something that goes against what they believe. Peer pressure is common place in
grade school, where children are constantly being exposed to smoking. Cigarettes
are being smoked everywhere authority is not, during school or any other place kids
congregate. Kids smoke because they want to feel like they 'fit in' and they want to
rebel at the same time. "U.S. News discussed the smoking issue with twenty
teenagers from suburban Baltimore. Half were boys, half  girls, and all were
between the ages of fifteen and seventeen. Over more than four hours of
conversation, it became clear that most teens smoked for two seemingly
contradictory reasons: They want to be part of a peer group, while rejecting society
and its norms. They want to reach out and rebel at the same time."(Roberts 38)
Tobacco companies spend four billion dollars each year in advertising and
promotional costs and claim there is no health risk. Six hundred thousand people die
every year from smoking related illness, and others quit. Teenagers are not
concerned about their health.  The tobacco industry tries to appeal to the youth. The
earlier kids get hooked, the more secure the companies' sales are. "For the tobacco
industry, these youngsters are an essential source of new customers. While cigarette
makers deny it, advertising and promotion of youthful smoking clearly helped attract
the attention of teens. The rate of youthful smoking dropped steadily from 1976 until
1984, then leveled off--just as cigarette companies boosted promotional
budgets."(Roberts 38)  	
Availability of cigarettes for minors is easier than one might think. Children
have access to tobacco products many ways. They could steal them from their
parent or relative, and from a store. Their family might also give them cigarettes,
and the child smokes them with their friends. Kids can purchase smokes from an
unguarded vending machine or gas station with ease. If that does not work they can
ask someone old enough to buy packs for them. Although, it is just as easy to walk
into any store and ask for them. Convenience stores are constantly getting fined for
the underage sale of tobacco. If laws were more strict on the sale of tobacco to
minors, then kids would smoke less. The harder it is to get cigarettes, the less they
will smoke them.
It is clear from the surveys and articles published that teen smoking is on the
rise. Teenage smoking is escalating at the rate of one million new recruits a year.
Despite the work of governmental and independent agencies the tobacco industries
continue to sell cigarettes at an alarming rate, due to peer pressure propaganda and
availability of the product. Something must be done to make people aware of the
risks.  
 
  	








	
Cause and effect	En 101 05
October 30, 1996


Teen Smoking

Due to peer pressure, propaganda and availability, teenage smoking has been
on the rise since 1986. Three thousand children start using tobacco each day
because of the negative influences aimed toward them. Our President and the
American Medical Association have taken action and have urged tobacco
companies to do the same against under age smoking. Despite all positive actions
against it, "pack-a-day" smoking has risen thirty-three Percent in the past ten years
among high school seniors.
Throughout life children and adults are being persuaded to do or try
something that goes against what they believe. Peer pressure is common place in
grade school, where children are constantly being exposed to smoking. Cigarettes
are being smoked everywhere authority is not, during school or any other place kids
congregate. Kids smoke because they want to feel like they 'fit in' and they want to
rebel at the same time. "U.S. News discussed the smoking issue with twenty
teenagers from suburban Baltimore. Half were boys, half  girls, and all were
between the ages of fifteen and seventeen. Over more than four hours of
conversation, it became clear that most teens smoked for two seemingly
contradictory reasons: They want to be part of a peer group, while rejecting society
and its norms. They want to reach out and rebel at the same time."(Roberts 38)
Tobacco companies spend four billion dollars each year in advertising and
promotional costs and claim there is no health risk. Six hundred thousand people die
every year from smoking related illness, and others quit. Teenagers are not
concerned about their health.  The tobacco industry tries to appeal to the youth. The
earlier kids get hooked, the more secure the companies' sales are. "For the tobacco
industry, these youngsters are an essential source of new customers. While cigarette
makers deny it, advertising and promotion of youthful smoking clearly helped attract
the attention of teens. The rate of youthful smoking dropped steadily from 1976 until
1984, then leveled off--just as cigarette companies boosted promotional
budgets."(Roberts 38)  	
Availability of cigarettes for minors is easier than one might think. Children
have access to tobacco products many ways. They could steal them from their
parent or relative, and from a store. Their family might also give them cigarettes,
and the child smokes them with their friends. Kids can purchase smokes from an
unguarded vending machine or gas station with ease. If that does not work they can
ask someone old enough to buy packs for them. Although, it is just as easy to walk
into any store and ask for them. Convenience stores are constantly getting fined for
the underage sale of tobacco. If laws were more strict on the sale of tobacco to
minors, then kids would smoke less. The harder it is to get cigarettes, the less they
will smoke them.
It is clear from the surveys and articles published that teen smoking is on the
rise. Teenage smoking is escalating at the rate of one million new recruits a year.
Despite the work of governmental and independent agencies the tobacco industries
continue to sell cigarettes at an alarming rate, due to peer pressure propaganda and
availability of the product. Something must be done to make people aware of the
risks.  
 
  	








	
Cause and effect	En 101 05
October 30, 1996


Teen Smoking

Due to peer pressure, propaganda and availability, teenage smoking has been
on the rise since 1986. Three thousand children start using tobacco each day
because of the negative influences aimed toward them. Our President and the
American Medical Association have taken action and have urged tobacco
companies to do the same against under age smoking. Despite all positive actions
against it, "pack-a-day" smoking has risen thirty-three Percent in the past ten years
among high school seniors.
Throughout life children and adults are being persuaded to do or try
something that goes against