If there's one thing in this world that no one can ever pressure me into doing, then it would be smoking. I just don’t like it. In fact, I hate it. I hate it to the extent that if someone lights a cigarette anywhere near me, I’ll have to excuse myself and leave the place entirely. I just can’t stand the smell, the smoke, or the whole idea of it. It’s one of those things that have never appealed to me, no matter how much I’ve seen other people indulge in it or talk about how much they enjoy it.
I have actually drank alcohol in the past, and I can still drink a reasonable amount even now. I wouldn’t say I’m a heavy drinker, but if the situation calls for it—maybe a celebration or just hanging out with friends—I can handle a few sips while making sure i don't get drunk or loose my cool. But smoking? That’s a different thing entirely. It’s not something I’ve ever considered doing, and I don’t see myself ever doing it in the future. No amount of persuasion or peer pressure could ever make me change my mind on this.
I have a few friends who enjoy smoking cigarettes, shisha and all of that, and they often talk about how it makes them feel good, how it gets them high, and how it helps them relieve stress. But to me, it still doesn’t make sense. I just see it as a slow way of damaging their lungs and ruining their health. I’ve read enough about the long-term effects of smoking, and I’ve seen enough people suffer because of it to know that it’s not worth it. The thought of willingly inhaling something that could cause so much harm to my body just doesn’t sit right with me.
What makes it even worse is when I see people who smoke to the point where they lose control of themselves. There are some people i know who take it so excessively that they don’t even know what they’re doing anymore. They start acting in ways they normally wouldn’t, saying things they wouldn’t say if they were in their right senses, and sometimes even getting into trouble because of it. That’s one thing I’ve always found really scary about substance use in general—when it starts taking over a person’s ability to think straight. And unfortunately, smoking is one of those habits that, for some people, opens the door to even more dangerous things.
At the end of the day, we all have our choices. I know smoking is something a lot of people enjoy doing, and some even defend it as their way of relaxing or coping with stress. But as for me, it’s a hard no. No matter how much someone tries to convince me, no matter how normal or enjoyable they try to make it seem, I just know deep down that it’s not for me. Now, or ever.