This is not true for adults . Youth smoking has risen as adult smoking has steadily declined. As a game for yourself, keep track of just how many times on a given day you come into contact with some form of cigarette or tobacco advertisement. Public health advocates note that one study show Joe Camel is as recognizable to children as Mickey Mouse. The University of Michigan Monitoring the Future study supports this point.
Most teens recognize that a lifetime of smoking is detrimental to their health.
A majority of the teenagers who smoke, however, do not think they will continue the habit throughout their entire lives and overwhelmingly underestimate the addictive power of cigarettes. What is more unfortunate is that the perceived risks associated with smoking drops as age decreases. The level of perceived risk have been dropping since 1994. Our teens are becoming desensitized to the habit and are failing to realize the dangers associated with habitual smoking. This is a fatal misconception.