e is also another big factor that may cause a child to start smoking. Just being at a party or hanging out after school, the subject of smoking may come up. Usually the child will be asked if they want to smoke. In this situation the child wil want to look cool, so they say yes even if they may be educated about the health risks. Instead of thinking of what is good for them, children think of how they will be looked at, and as a child this is scary. Teenagers want to grow up quick. They want to be considered adults, so by making their own choice to smoke, it makes them feel like they are adults. Everyone goes through their period where they are insecure and unsure of themselves and most of the time all they want is to be accepted. They want to fit in, and if they have to smoke, then most will do it. The most common comments are "come on just try it," or "one won't hurt you." However, one leads to two and so on. "Research has consistently found that children are more likely to smoke if their friends smoke and studies have confirmed that early friendships with smokers increased the risk of later smoking among adolescents" (Murray, Jarett, Swan, and Rumun, 8). Being associated with friends that smoke all the time makes it hard not to because it becomes a social thing. If the child's friends do it then they want to do it too. "One reason the non-smoker adopts smoking is so as to identify with a valued group and distinguish himself from members of another group" (Murray, Jarrett, Swan, and Rumun, 9). Being different and having a sense of belonging to a group may cause a child to smoke. Social situations and having an adolescen
             ...