Intro
For a long time people have been smoking cigarettes regardless of age. With the introduction of laws controlling the legal smoking age, it has been set at an appropriate 18, however some people would argue that smoking is harmless and the legal age should be lowered, but these people are clearly idiotic. 16 years of age is way too young for someone to be making the decision to smoke as they are still maturing and don’t fully comprehend the long term effect that smoking imposes.
I think it does not really matter whether the smoking age in NZ is lowered to 16 or not. For those of people who want to smoke, they will still smoke even though they are underage. In this society you can almost consider 16 years old as young adult, if they have the ability to think what they want to do each day, then they should have the ability to think about the consequence of smoking. The most important thing is not about the smoking age or do they have the ability to decide on something, it is about do their parents really care about them. If parents really care about their children, then they should teach their children the consequence of smoking or help their children to quit on smoking. For a child who born in a family, where both of parents are smoking, the chance of that child become a smoker is very high. Good parenting and good environment for children to grow up are the most important factor for them to not become smokers.
ReplyDeleteIf you're arguing that it doesn't matter if the legal smoking age is lowered to 16 then why not say lower it to 13? You can almost consider 13 as a young adult as well. A 10 year old has the ability to think about what he wants to do each day but that doesn't mean that he should be allowed to smoke.
ReplyDeleteYou have to remember that not every child has a stable family while growing up. Many have parents or friends that already smoke so like you say, you understand how they would want to try smoking as well. If they're going to start smoking anyway then why not at least make them wait a little bit longer....
How long have under-aged kids smoked? Also I think you need to be bit more clear on what you are trying to say. From what I'm seeing, you are opposed to lowering legal age but it's not clear
ReplyDeleteIt is true that minors who want to smoke will do so whether it is legal or illegal but lowering the smoking age will only encourage this. Teenagers will be more likely to be peer pressured into somking. Although they are old enough to know the consequences, at their age, their peers will be more important to them than health problems that will occur after extended smoking.
ReplyDelete