Blog 16: Revision of CAT #2

          In the article “Imitation of Film: Here’s smoking at you. Kid” by Nicholas Balakar, states that children between 10 to 14 ages are more likely to start smoking if they see actors smoke in the movies. Balakar also says that researchers had shown that the 38% of children in imitation of movies start smoking. He continues saying that Dr. Sargent acknowledges that those results were showing only to the youngest adolescents and that “the report did not preclude the possibility that smoking began before the children saw these movies“. Balakar finishes saying that “the strength of findings should be taken very seriously”.

          I disagree with Balakar when he says that children start smoking if they have seen actors smoke in the movies because there are others reasons for children to start smoking.

          Children can start smoking because they want to be seen as adults. During the past adults were people who could get married, drink alcoholic beverages, smoke, and drive. I think that children are trying to get adults’ attention, and one way of doing it is to do things that only adults can do. Children are imitating other role models. Dr. Sargent admits that there is a possibility that smoking began before the children saw these movies. I had an experience where my best friend began smoking when he was 15 years old because most of his friends were older than him and also they were smokers. Because of this my friend didn’t find a better idea than to start smoking too, to be seen and treated as an adults like all his friends.

          Another reason children start smoking might be that their parents are smokers. Parents’ education is totally important for children because if they do not advice and teach their children what are the good and the bad things that they are supposed to do, or the things a person at their age should do. I started smoking when I was 16 years old. Both of my parents smoke too, but the difference is that my parents were always telling me what was right and wrong for a child, and among all of their advices not to smoke was one of them. I cannot blame my parents to be a smoker because everyone is free to take any decision. I really do not know why I started smoking, but it was not because of movies, I just did it. I know that it is really bad for health and I should stop smoking, but is not so easy to do it. It is very relaxing especially when I am stressed.

          In conclusion, we can see there are lots of reasons for children to start smoking, not just because of movies. Also, children’s smoking is a massive problem and should be taken very seriously.