At eight years old I was smoking. I just wanted to fit in. I wasn’t doing it all the time just when I hung out with my friends. I didn’t think it was a big deal. I never thought I would get addicted. I just wanted to be like the older girls. They all did it and so did all the cute boys. I always wanted to be older than I was so smoking made me feel like I was older and I fit in. Then it hit me right out of nowhere. I started to lie to my mom so I could get money to buy cigarettes. I was ten years old standing in front of convenience stores asking people to buy me cigarettes. I knew I was starting to get addicted but I thought it would take years to get the serious addiction that everyone talks about. I thought when I want to quit I will. Everyone else was still doing it so I never bothered to try and quit. I thought I had fun when I smoked. I felt older and cuter with a cigarette. All of my friends were smoking so I continued. I wasn’t going to be the only one who didn’t smoke. Now five years later…I can’t go more than a couple of hours without a cigarette. It’s not cool anymore. I depend on cigarettes and no on thinks it’s even attractive. Even I see how ugly it really looks and the smell is horrible. Who wants to sit next to an ashtray in school? So think before you light your first cigarette just to be cool or look cute because you might not be able to put it out.
Amanda Steele
Age 15