46% teenagers think smoking makes them look ‘cool’

A study conducted on 1,900 students from six states to understand the smoking habits and the perception revealed that the teenagers believed it would make them look ‘cool’ and mature among their friends. 

As many as 46 per cent of teenagers believed that smoking makes them appear ‘cool’ among their peers. 53 per cent teenagers also think that smoking helps in reducing stress. A total of 1,900 students were chosen from six states - Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kolkata and Chennai- to be a part of the study.  

“The results are disturbing. Peer pressure can cause youngsters to pick up the habit of smoking. This is because there is a need to impress others and stay at par with what comes across as the latest trends in being‘cool’and‘fitting in’,” said Dr Samir Parikh, Director, Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, Fortis Healthcare. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), smoking claims lives of over 7 million people each year. 6 million of these people die as a result of direct tobacco use; while around 89,0000 victims are non-smokers who have been repeatedly exposed to second-hand smoke. 

In 2015, the WHO recorded that across the globe, 1.1 billion people smoked tobacco. In India, 34.6 per cent of adults (of which 47.9 per cent is males and 20.3 per cent is females) are smokers. “Understanding that there is a problem which needs to be addressed is the first step towards overcoming tobacco addiction. Smoking is plaguing the society and we are moving into an era where it is acceptable for younger age groups to begin smoking and engage in other risky behavior. 

In order to wage a war against tobacco use, one must be fully equipped with adequate knowledge about how tobacco can affect the mind and body. The support system of anyone overcoming addiction must realize that the power of psychological dependence is extremely strong,” added Parikh.