Smoking was the way for teenagers to show their parents that they were too old to live by their rules anymore. Teenagers took to smoking by the dozens because it was cool, especially because their favourite Bollywood heroes smoked, both on and off-screen. These were the days when tobacco companies could advertise freely, especially in films, and not many were aware of the ill-effects of tobacco.
A lot has changed after smoking was banned in public places. The government and numerous NGOs have undertaken various campaigns to educate people — especially teenagers — about the ill effects of smoking. Has any of this done anything to change the popular notion among teenagers that it’s cool to smoke? Anul Jain, a TYBA student of St Xavier’s College, Mumbai, says, “I think that these days, it is ‘cooler’ to not smoke than to smoke, because there is more awareness about the ill effects of smoking.”
Namrata Gandhi, another TYBA student endorses this view. “Teens have a false idea that they can quit whenever they want to. Also, a lot of college-going students who live in hostels tend to start smoking, mainly because there’s no family around to tell them to stop. Personally, I don’t mind being friends with people who smoke, but I can’t stand it when they smoke around me,” she says.
However, Saumya Vaishnava, a smoker herself, begs to differ. She says, “When teenagers move out of the school atmosphere into the hostile environment of college, it’s very intimidating, especially when you don’t know anyone. Smoking in a group makes it so much easier to socialise, because that is when people let their guard down.” However, soon, the teen becomes addicted, and then, “they have no option but to convince themselves it’s cool, because they themselves are doing it!” says Saumya. “Nobody wants to admit that what they’re doing is stupid, so they say it’s cool!” she adds.
Even though the opinions are divided (as always) between smokers and non-smokers, there is an agreement among teenagers about awareness of the detrimental effects of smoking.