Okay, so I’m going to go out on a limb and speak out for one of the most poorly represented groups in America today: The smoker. We have experienced a rapid acceptance of treating smokers as though they are less than human. Smoking has been banned in most, if not all, public areas. Anti-smoking propaganda is everywhere. The “truth.com” commercial shows body bags being heaped up to represent how many people die of tobacco every day. I realize that they are trying to make a point, but as a smoker I sometimes feel as though certain media and anti-tobacco groups are especially harsh. They attack not only the habit but also the companies and the people who take part.

Take for example the commercial that shows a man smoking around his co-workers and family to make a point about second hand smoke. The voice-over makes a comment about how he’s not a bad guy, but his habit will kill those he loves. The wording and the depiction of his young daughter in his arms make an effort to seem very sincere and shocking. How can this man smoke around his young daughter? The point is to shock smokers and non-smokers alike, but I felt it was just a little too judgmental.

I like to smoke. I realize it is bad for me. I do not appreciate when strangers say to me, “You know that’ll kill you.” Really? Like I haven’t been bombarded with anti-smoking campaigns since second grade? Guess what. We all know it’s bad. We don’t start because it tastes good or feels good.

Advertisement doesn’t have as much to do with it as many groups would have you believe. I never thought to myself, “Hey, I want to be like Joe Camel. He’s a fun and colorful cartoon character like the ones I see on TV and I’d really like to emulate him in every way possible. Maybe I’ll smoke.”

I got my first cigarette in seventh grade from my dad’s pack on the refrigerator. I snuck outside with my friend to smoke it. I kept on smoking because my friends did. At first it was to be cool. It’s a really easy, relatively inexpensive (at least it used to be) way to “rebel.” If there wasn’t a gas station that would sell them, someone had an older sibling.

In the name of cracking down on teenage smoking, a lot of groups are pushing for an increase of the cigarette tax. Ohio has a fairly low tax in comparison to the rest of the country. I feel that a lot of anti-smoking legislation is misplaced. The tax will increase revenue for the governments. It will encourage some to quit smoking. But it will not affect teenage smoking, which is what seems to be very important to a lot of people right now. High school kids have more money then us college kids. They seem to have more money than some adults sometimes. The deciding factor for many teenage smokers is not the price. It’s how to get them. That is the root of the problem and I believe that many are overlooking it.

All the TV propaganda against smoking may be effective against pre-adolescents. But a TV doesn’t put a cigarette into the hands of a thirteen-year-old. It’s his friend who swiped them from his dad or older brother. It’s the occasional friend whose parents don’t care if she smokes. Movies, TV, and advertising may make smoking look appealing, but we want to emulate the people we encounter on a day-to-day basis. If our parents and our friends smoke, that’s where the influence is.

I know I should quit smoking. I never should have started. I believe that public service groups should do what they can to stop kids from starting. But don’t take it out on the rest of us. And don’t place the blame on tobacco advertisers. Our country was founded on tobacco crops and many people still rely on it. The Marlboro Man didn’t convince me to smoke. Next time all you parents light up, think about what your kids see. Think about who they hang out with. When all you students become parents, think about what you tell your kids. I certainly intend on setting a better example in the future. But for now, I need a cigarette.

Becky Gromek is a senior in comparative studies. She invites smokers of the world to stand strong and light up. She can be reached for comment at [email protected].