What should I know about smoking?

 
Look at the following
options, and put a in the
box beside each item that
you feel describes you.
O I’m curious
O I’m dealing with stress
O I want to fit in
O I’m concerned about my weight
IF YOU checked any of the boxes , then you
have something in common with your peers who smoke tobacco
or have thought about it. For example:
Satisfying curiosity. “I wondered what it was like, so I
took a cigarette from a girl at school and then sneaked out
and smoked it.”—Tracy.
Coping with stress and fitting in. “Kids at school would
say ‘I need a cigarette,’ and then afterward, ‘Phew, now I can
cope!’ During stressful times, I wanted that.”—Nikki.
Losing weight. “Some girls smoke to stay thin—it’s so
much easier than dieting!”—Samantha.
But before you light your first—or your next—cigarette,
stop and think. Don’t be like a fish striking at a baited hook.
True, the fish may get a small reward, but what a price it
pays! Instead, follow the Bible’s advice, and use “your clear
thinking faculties.” (2 Peter 3:1) Answer the following questions.
Although this chapter discusses those who smoke cigarettes, the problems and
dangers that are highlighted also apply to those who chew tobacco.
What Do You Really Know About Smoking?
Mark each statement true or false.
a. Smoking will reduce my stress.
ı
O True O False
b. I would exhale almost all
of the smoke. O True O False
c. Smoking won’t affect my
health until I get older. O True O False
d. Smoking will make me more
attractive to the opposite sex. O True O False
e. If I smoke, no one is hurt but me. O True O False
f. It doesn’t matter to God
whether I smoke or not. O True O False
Although this chapter discusses those who smoke cigarettes, the problems and
dangers that are highlighted also apply to those who chew tobacco.
Answers
a. False. Although smoking temporarily relieves the
stress of withdrawal symptoms, scientists have found that
nicotine actually increases the level of stress hormones.
b. False. Some studies indicate that over 80 percent of
the cigarette smoke particles you inhale stay inside your
body.
c. False.While the risks increase with each cigarette you
smoke, a few effects are immediate. Some people become
addicted from just one cigarette. Your lung capacity will be
reduced, and you’ll likely develop a persistent cough. Your
skin will wrinkle more and prematurely. Smoking increases
your risk of sexual dysfunction, panic attacks, and depression.
d. False. Researcher Lloyd
Johnston found that teens who
smoke are “less attractive to
the great majority of the opposite
sex.”
e. False. Secondhand
smoke kills thousands each
year; it will harm your family, your friends, and even your
pets.
f. False. Those who want
to please God must cleanse
themselves of “every defilement of flesh.” (2 Corinthians
7:1) There is no doubt that smoking defiles the body. If you
choose to be unclean, harming yourself and others by using
tobacco, you cannot be a friend of God.—Matthew 22:39;
Galatians 5:19-21.
How to Resist
So, what will you do if someone offers you a cigarette?
A simple but firm response, such as “No thanks, I don’t
smoke,”will often work. If the person persists or even taunts
you, remember that it is your choice. You might say:
˘ “I checked out the risks and decided that it’s not for
me.”
˘ “I have some important future plans that involve
breathing.”
˘ “Are you denying my right to make a personal choice?”
Like the youths quoted earlier in this chapter, though,
you may find that the greatest pressure comes from inside
yourself. If that’s the case, answer this ‘inner voice’ by reasoning
on questions such as these:
˘ ‘Will I really gain benefits from smoking? For instance,
if I decide to smoke just to be accepted by others, will I
somehow fit in despite having little else in common with
them? Do I even want to fit in with people who would be
happy to see me damage my own health?’
˘ ‘How much will smoking cost me in money, health
problems, and loss of others’ respect?’
˘ ‘Would I be willing to sell out my friendship with God
for the price of a cigarette?’
Source:jw.org