Power of Suggestion

If you are a smoker, you are victim to the power of suggestion.  Who would start smoking, without powerful cues from other people who sell cigarettes, and other smokers?  It is a culture, that was started in the early 20th century, and was created by a mission to sell the cigarettes they created.  In an attempt to glamorize the smoking culture, they employed the movie industry, and then television.  The wide reach of the subliminal visual clues, of watching Bette Davis smoke, and all of the other great stars, were very powerful.

Even in an attempt to keep their hands free of the dirt of smoking, they would use smoking wands, and long slender pipes to smoke with the cigarette further from their bodies.  And, as the marketing initiative grew, the very fact that there were new images and billboards, should have been easy to appreciate. 

There are no good initial reasons why someone would inhale smoke into their lungs, as it is not a natural act.  A new smoker coughs, and sputters, and often gets sick to their stomach.  It does make you squint your eyes, and even smokers who have smoked for years, do the same thing.  They are used to the pain of the smoke in their eyes, but for two reasons, the addiction drives them on.

The truth is, you need some pushing to become nicotine addicted, and even more pushing to make your brain create reasons to stay a smoker.  Once these two items are merged, you are hooked.  It is a powerful combination of propaganda, and initiative from some very powerful growers and manufacturers.  Even people who had little reason to smoke, could be affected by the messages, the images, and the constant stream of "pleasure" that smoking provides.