It is very common to see teenagers smoking since a very early age, cigarettes are known to do damage to the health of any person but teens do it anyway, so why adolescents smoke? Do they like the taste of a cigarette or just to show a better self image?

Tobacco and self image are directly related, many teenagers engage in smoking for the only reason of improving their self image and self esteem, they want to look cool and have a sexually attractive image to the opposite sex.

The reason for this might not be obvious for some people but tobacco companies that advertise in the media have created this link of cool self image and strong sexual attraction to smoking.

You can see it in every ad where men and women are smoking. For example you get the image of a cowboy with a strong self confidence, independence, looking cool and with the self image of an ideal man.

This is also seen in many movies, when the actor wants to look strong, confident and sexually attractive to a women he is smoking. The same is with women, now is very common to see ads of women and actresses smoking.

So teens see in the cigarettes a way to increase their self esteem and self image when they are with other people. Its also you by teens to show confidence when they are alone, if they are alone doing nothing in a public place they feel insecure and not cool, but if they take a cigarette they feel much better.

However it is also used to reduce stress and is also an addictive, there are people that just smoke when they are nervous or feel the need for the touch.

The risk is that teenagers are starting to take this addiction since a very early age and this can create severe health problems in the long term.

Its difficult to avoid smoking in teenagers, because there are many reasons for it and trying it is a way to be cool with their friends, they have the social pressure of them, they want to be accepted and be sexually attractive to women. However, there is no proof that shows that smoking is attractive to women.

We need to educate teenagers on the risks of smoking at home and in school, there is a lot of manipulation in the media to make them fall for this addiction. All the advertisements have an appeal to their subconscious to accept cigarette as a way to improve their self esteem.