Our Take on Underage Smoking

Farah Khazai 

A minimal limit of age for smoking has been set by our government, Malaysia, to prevent teenager from smoking. Knowing the youths at their ignorant and rebellious ages, they will have a propensity to pick bad habits, such as smoking, easily. It’s natural for teenagers to experiment, explore and experience things. However, underage smoking is a worthless, horrible and cancerous habit. It is such a waste of money; teenagers should be saving money. The limit in purchasing cigarette for youths acts as a second layer of protection for these minors. Personally, I don’t think anyone, regardless of age, should smoke. To add on, teenagers who are smoking is often connected to gangsterism subconsciously by non-smokers. It is normal that teenage smokers, but not for all cases, are hot-tempered and likely proved to react physically to people around them. There are many things and people to blame, but it all comes down to the decision of the person. Teenagers are influenced easily. They should be aware that smoking does not make them look cool and it is not an art.

Nazrila Shaherah

Underage smoking is definitely not cool. It is not a wonderful thing to be breaking laws. Not only do teenagers break laws by smoking but they are endangering their health at such a young age. Why would anyone ruin their own health? Do they want to live a short life? Teenagers are aware that smoking is unhealthy but are they really aware of how dangerous cigarettes are?  Many teenagers would say that they started smoking just because they wanted to try or because everyone is doing it. Don’t they realize that they need to be themselves in order to actually survive in this world? If you give in to smoking just because your friends do it, you might give in to drugs, alcohols, and many other things. So why take that risk? Besides that, your other peers and teachers will look at you negatively as you engage in negative behaviours. It may change their perception of you and smoking is not worth it. You could be smoking just because your friends do it but you don’t engage in other negative behaviours however, society will still view you negatively. If a teenager does not want to stop smoking for their parents or friends, then stop smoking for yourself. Smoking has a lot of negative effects and very few positive effects. Cigarettes are not worth risking your life and health for. Try to stop smoking and urge your peers to not start smoking. A smoker would know that it is very difficult to break the habit so why risk your other friends? Don’t persuade your friends to smoke. Try to quit smoking and engage in other healthy activities. There is more to life than smoking and looking ‘cool’.

Amanda Imani

Most smokers start smoking when they’re underage, and tobacco companies know this. Almost no smokers start when they’re legal adults, as they are no longer so desperate to look cool and grownup then. Smoking is a filthy habit that provides no benefits to anyone. The reason kids take up smoking is because they think it makes them look cool and older. In fact, a little teenybopper inhaling a cig looks incredibly pathetic, and would be laughable except for the fact that she/he is getting addicted to one of the hardest drugs to quit. And that’s why tobacco companies market to them. Kids get cigarettes by stealing them from adults in their lives, or stealing from stores. Some kids have older friends who will buy them cigarettes. Personally, I think they should hold up until they are 18 and then make the choice whether to smoke or not. I am totally against smoking, overall. However, if one does choose to smoke in the future, he/ she should wait until they are over the legal smoking age before they start smoking illegally. I also believe that the government and certain bodies should set proper and strict rules for underage smokers.

Kenny Lim Kian Eng

In my opinion, everyone should not practice smoking habit especially to those who are underage. Smoking will bring irreversible consequences to every smokers and the harms are more intense toward the teens who are still undergoing puberty. Health problems will be the main concern of this issue. The harms toward the lungs, teeth, heart and others are so fatal that many teens eventually are diagnose with cancer in their young adult age. Anyone will not have the chance to live again.  And, it is no just cause harm to one self but other people around us as well as the environment. Second hand smokers will have the higher risk of getting any of the health problems cause by smoking. Although an individual smokes does not cause many effect to the environment but there are people from every corner of this world are smoking everyday. If this continues for a very long period of time, the effects are cannot be imagined. Smoking not just destroy one’s future and destiny but it will eventually destroy everyone’s.