# Why are there so many 20-30 year old smokers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 26, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768 "2011-04-26T14:24:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/41 "2011-04-26T19:42:05Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > I don’t agree that the answer to the OP is as simple as saying that people are different. And smoking among 20-30 year olds is not as easily compared to the list of activities you listed. > > When you have roughly 1/5 of a segment of the population participating in an activity that is actively promoted as something that is addictive and will kill you over time…it’s worth asking why. Well more than 1/5 Americans are fat, and I think there is a definite similarity. Both are very unlikely to kill you quickly, but are horrible for your health in the long run. Alcohol can be horrible for your health in the long term, but also makes you much more likely to die when you are actually consuming it, through causing accidents, mostly driving, but a lot of drowning and other stuff, as well as occasional overdoses. Some people value instant pleasure over long term health, and I don’t find that surprising at all. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/42 "2011-04-26T19:47:14Z")
> [@SecretaryofEvil](#): > > Well more than 1/5 Americans are fat, and I think there is a definite similarity. Both are very unlikely to kill you quickly, but are horrible for your health in the long run. Alcohol can be horrible for your health in the long term, but also makes you much more likely to die when you are actually consuming it, through causing accidents, mostly driving, but a lot of drowning and other stuff, as well as occasional overdoses. > > Some people value instant pleasure over long term health, and I don’t find that surprising at all. I can see that. I guess you have to really question someone’s life choices that is obese, a smoker, and an excessive consumer of alcohol. I guess that’s why all of those questions are normally on any life insurance application. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/43 "2011-04-26T19:52:11Z")
People smoke for a variety of reasons, including addiction, enjoyment, or looking cool. I smoke when I’m drinking because I enjoy it. The only other time I tend to smoke is when I hear people saying how evil smoking is, and I remember it isn’t. Like now. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/44 "2011-04-26T19:55:57Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > The only other time I tend to smoke is when I hear people saying how evil smoking is, and I remember it isn’t. Like now. If you consider deadly = evil, then light up dude. Your criteria has been met. But please share your links on the health benefits of smoking before you whip out your zippo. ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/45 "2011-04-26T19:58:20Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > I can see that. I guess you have to really question someone’s life choices that is obese, a smoker, and an excessive consumer of alcohol. I guess that’s why all of those questions are normally on any life insurance application. Once again, its a matter of perspective that is influenced by what you value in your life. Not everybody wants to live the longest life possible. Sayings like, “Better to live a day as a lion than a lifetime as a sheep,” “Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees,” or “Live fast, die young, and leave a good looking corpse,” are not particularly uncommon. Such comparisons might seem crazy to you, but that was the point of my first post. A mountain climber might think it’s crazy that someone smokes. A smoker might think it’s crazy to climb a mountain for fun. ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/46 "2011-04-26T20:02:42Z")
I just noticed something interesting. Your username is “Omar Little,” who is a character on “The Wire,” who makes a habit out of robbing drug dealers. I can’t think of a less healthy habit than that. Yet you still seem to admire this character enough to make him your handle. Now, I’m assuming you don’t make a living by robbing criminals, but I also presume you were able to somehow identify with the motivations of a character who had a deadly habit. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/47 "2011-04-26T20:03:18Z")
> [@SecretaryofEvil](#): > > Once again, its a matter of perspective that is influenced by what you value in your life. Not everybody wants to live the longest life possible. Sayings like, “Better to live a day as a lion than a lifetime as a sheep,” “Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees,” or “Live fast, die young, and leave a good looking corpse,” are not particularly uncommon. Such comparisons might seem crazy to you, but that was the point of my first post. A mountain climber might think it’s crazy that someone smokes. A smoker might think it’s crazy to climb a mountain for fun. Yet, when that smoker is lying in the hospital suffering from emphysema, or hooked up to the chemo treatment, and those costs are being covered by insurance or medicare or medicaid. It is the rest of us that are paying for your treatment, through higher insurance premiums or taxes, to the tune of about $100 billion a year. How about you refuse treatment when your time comes and die like that lion in the desert? ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/48 "2011-04-26T20:05:33Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > If you consider deadly = evil, then light up dude. Your criteria has been met. But please share your links on the health benefits of smoking before you whip out your zippo. Plenty of things will kill you, I imagine you do, and enjoy, some of them. I’m not going to live forever, and the though of old age related problems bothers me far more than the thought of dying young from smoking. My view is that life is for enjoying, not for saving up until I’m too old to enjoy it. I’ve seen relatives die from both cancer and old age related issues, with the attendant dementia, and I know which looked worse to me. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/49 "2011-04-26T20:07:03Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Plenty of things will kill you, I imagine you do, and enjoy, some of them. I’m not going to live forever, and the though of old age related problems bothers me far more than the thought of dying young from smoking. My view is that life is for enjoying, not for saving up until I’m too old to enjoy it. > > I’ve seen relatives die from both cancer and old age related issues, with the attendant dementia, and I know which looked worse to me. So you plan on turning down medical treatment for smoking related illnesses in the future as well? So the rest of us don’t have to foot your bills. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/50 "2011-04-26T20:08:36Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > So you plan on turning down medical treatment for smoking related illnesses in the future as well? So the rest of us don’t have to foot your bills. No, I plan on having them covered by the extra tax I pay on cigarettes. I’m in the UK, where the tax paid more than covers the cost, this may be different where you are. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/51 "2011-04-26T20:08:52Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Plenty of things will kill you, I imagine you do, and enjoy, some of them. I’m not going to live forever, and the though of old age related problems bothers me far more than the thought of dying young from smoking. My view is that life is for enjoying, not for saving up until I’m too old to enjoy it. > > I’ve seen relatives die from both cancer and old age related issues, with the attendant dementia, and I know which looked worse to me. I’m not sure dying of lung cancer is any more pleasant… One of the worst ways to go in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/52 "2011-04-26T20:17:47Z")
That “good looking corpse” thing doesn’t mean much after you’ve seen a guy who had his jawbone & tongue removed, trying to drink out of a water fountain. A medical student I once knew quit after he saw a guy smoking through the hole where he formerly had a larynx. (I’ve also had several friends die of lung cancer who weren’t all \*that \*old.) ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/53 "2011-04-26T20:31:38Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > No, I plan on having them covered by the extra tax I pay on cigarettes. > > I’m in the UK, where the tax paid more than covers the cost, this may be different where you are. Do you really think that you will have paid personally more than ₤150,000 in taxes during your lifetime of smoking? If not, someone else will be covering your medical costs. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/54 "2011-04-26T20:41:39Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > I’m not sure dying of lung cancer is any more pleasant… > > One of the worst ways to go in my opinion. Worse than slowly losing your mind and continence over 15 or so years? I don’t feel that way. > [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Do you really think that you will have paid personally more than ₤150,000 in taxes during your lifetime of smoking? If not, someone else will be covering your medical costs. No I won’t. Where do you get that figure from? My understanding is that tax on tobacco in the UK is set to cover additional medical costs, with an added deterrent on top. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/55 "2011-04-26T20:58:08Z")
Thanks for illustrating my point, **Steophan**. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/56 "2011-04-26T21:01:21Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > No I won’t. Where do you get that figure from? My understanding is that tax on tobacco in the UK is set to cover additional medical costs, with an added deterrent on top. ₤150,000 is approximately the average annual cost of treating someone dying from smoking related illnesses. Did you really think that your individual tax on a carton of cigs was going to cover the actual future medical costs? ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/57 "2011-04-26T21:05:11Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Do you really think that you will have paid personally more than ₤150,000 in taxes during your lifetime of smoking? If not, someone else will be covering your medical costs. Do you really think every individual smoker incurs that much in end-of-life healthcare costs? Plenty of them will drop dead of heart attacks. Some will incur an ambulance ride, maybe a few revival attempts. Others will incur nothing but an official death declaration. Why did you make this thread? You didn’t really want to know WHY 20-30 year olds are smoking. You wanted smokers to post so you could berate them for it. The title of your thread isn’t appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/58 "2011-04-26T21:06:40Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > ₤150,000 is approximately the average annual cost of treating someone dying from smoking related illnesses. Did you really think that your individual tax on a carton of cigs was going to cover the actual future medical costs? How much more is that than the cost of someone dying of non-smoking-related illnesses? The tax is meant to cover the difference - all the other tax I pay is to cover the basic. Well, it won’t because I’m poor, but that’s another matter. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/59 "2011-04-26T21:12:03Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Do you really think every individual smoker incurs that much in end-of-life healthcare costs? Plenty of them will drop dead of heart attacks. Some will incur an ambulance ride, maybe a few revival attempts. Others will incur nothing but an official death declaration. You must have missed where I said it was the **average** amount, which includes those that don’t cost much, and those that costs alot more than the average. > [@rachelellogram](#): > > Why did you make this thread? You didn’t really want to know WHY 20-30 year olds are smoking. You wanted smokers to post so you could berate them for it. The title of your thread isn’t appropriate. A bit defensive, much? Contrary to your allusions of omniscient mind readings of other posters you think you have, I seriously desire to know what motivates the majority of young people to start smoking in the first place, with the knowledge of its harmful effects. If we as a society could understand that, then maybe we could find ways to curb it. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768/60 "2011-04-26T21:23:31Z")
> [@ethelbert](#): > > Also, when you smoke you have an instant > community. That is a very powerful incentive for young people. Partially this. But I also discovered how much fun drinking and smoking are together. I have smoked off and on since 18, where I’d spend my days doing math/chemistry homework at the Waffle House and smoking inside (oh, the days!) When I had my previous job, I was OK with smoking on my breaks. Since I started here last summer, I stopped doing that, partially out of hassle, partially because I feel like a hypocrit for doing it in a hospital. I generally go through 6-12 month on/off phases, probably approaching an “off” phase due to tightened budget concerns. As it is, I only smoke 3 or 4 cigarettes a day (unless it’s a day off!). In addition, though, I think it’s more societally acceptable in the gay community, and (IME), the HIV+ people specifically. Recent memory brings up one HIV+ person I know that didn’t smoke. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-so-many-20-30-year-old-smokers/579768.md?page=4)