By Joseph M. Dulock
I have never been a fan of cigarettes in general. My dad was a heavy smoker for most of his life. In five years, he has suffered two heart attacks, one stroke, and is now living with stage 4 kidney disease. His 49th birthday was last fall. While it’s hard to pinpoint the cause of all of these health problems, the major factor according to the doctors, was cigarettes. While E-cigarettes are marketed for smokers who are looking to quit, it’s not as simple as it may seem. Smoking is an addiction. It’s something that people have been doing for years and it has become a multibillion-dollar industry throughout the entire world. Just when we thought we were moving away from smoking tobacco, Juul has created a product that has hooked hundreds of thousands of teenagers. Smoking has taken on a new and modern form. The only problem is that Juul’s intended target market is still smoking regular cigarettes.
While I have always had a strong view against cigarettes, it makes me even more confused as to why kids my age are getting into the habit of smoking. We all know smoking can cause cancer, and we all know the health risks of smoking, yet we still ignore the people urging us to stop. In my opinion, if electronic cigarettes weren’t invented, the kids who are now Juuling would have never actually started smoking. Old fashioned cigarettes are just not as appealing to my generation. We don’t want the harsh smell of cigarette smoke on our clothes, we don’t want our teeth to turn yellow, and we definitely don’t want cancer. Somehow, through all of this, e-cigarette companies have found a way to turn our minds away from the same health complications with their modern devices. E-cigs are sleek, flavorful, and seem to be harmless from the outside. What teen smokers don’t realize is that they have already started showing signs of early addiction. The nicotine in these products is keeping them up at night, it’s relieving their stress, and it’s putting a calmer feeling in their mind.
What I’m trying to say is, we are better than this. My generation is one of the most educated on smoking because we have been able to learn about all of the health risks from our parents. E-cigarettes are relatively new. Do we really want our kids to see what these devices have done to us when they grow up? It’s just something to think about and one perspective on this nationwide problem. Smoke all of the weed you want, just don’t put your hands near nicotine.
Joseph M. Dulock is a sophomore at Suffolk University and an Accounting major in the Sawyer Business School.