| What's Up? | ||
My friend showed me a pack of cigarettes his older brother gave him and dared me to try one. He got mad when I wouldn't.
Good for you for being strong! Most kids start smoking because they give in to peer pressure. Whenever somebody tries to use force to get you to do something, especially something wrong, that's called peer pressure. Often the person will threaten you if you don't do what they say, or they'll try to make you feel bad by getting angry, or say they won't be your friend anymore. Or they try to make what they're doing look really cool, or make you feel like a wimp if you don't do it. A lot of kids fall into the trap and give in to peer pressure, because they don't know how to deal with it. One way to handle it is to say no and walk away. But as easy as that sounds, there's more to it than that. In order to ease your way out of a sticky situation, you have to have a good reason for saying no, and know why you're saying it. Knowing about the dangers of smoking helps you resist the pressure to do it. You're already off to a good start by reading Winner. Besides being knowledgeable, it's also a good idea to have some answers ready when others try to pressure you. I saw a billboard recently that said, "Kissing a smoker is like kissing an ashtray. Smoking stinks." A clever saying that lets others know you've thought about the choices you want to make in life and that you're not the easy prey they thought you were. Back to Top |
||