Interviewing a Smoker. (Stop Smoking for Teens)

The smoker walked out onto the stage and sat in a chair. The host nodded with a smile. "So, how long have you been smoking?" They said right off the bat. The smoker wasn't taken off guard. "Mmmm, about fifteen years now....""Have you ever tried stopping?" The host asked in response. "Well, yeah! I always knew about all of the chemicals and carcinogens, but it never actually hit me until I watched a family member get lung cancer..." They frowned sadly."Well that is unfortunate. When did you start smoking?""In high school... I underestimated how hard it would be to stop.... But when I quit my hands started to shake and I didn't know how to keep my stress down. It was a rough time, and the tobacco started effecting me almost immediately. "
The host nodded sympathetically. "That's terrible to hear.... Why did you start smoking?"
The smoker looked into the distance for a moment before speaking. "Well, I guess it was everything kind of. All of my friends and family did so cigarettes were a common thing and I guess it just never occurred to me that it was so bad. I mean, smoking was absolutely everywhere so I never took time to think about how serious it was. I mean... People have lost loved ones to a stupid little tobacco wrapped stick that you can buy at your nearest gas station for a few dollars. Companies are selling us cancer and we're buying it with a smile on our face! And I didn't know how bad it made me smell until my close friends admitted that I always smelled like smoke.... My house, my clothes...."
The host seemed to be listening intently.                                                                                              "Not to even mention what it was doing to the ones around me. I didn't consider all of the second hand smoke they inhaled just because of me. Which is also enough to cause cancer... I'd be devastated if anyone got lung cancer because of me..." The smoker seemed guilty. "It's just sad knowing that I could really hurt somebody."
The host cleared their throat. "Well, smoking can have VERY negative affects on everyone involved for sure. And its so glorified in todays society.... Well, that's all of the time we have for today." The host said standing up to dismiss their audience. The smoker stood as well before walking off the stage.

It was the next day, and the audience had shuffled their way back into their seats. This time, our smoker needed no introduction. The audience roared wildly, as our heroine, the smoker, sat back down in their original seat.
"Hello, and welcome back to part two of our three day interview!" The host yelled as he threw his hands up in the air to silence the people. They quieted and he finally sat down. "So, today we want to focus on your family member with lung caner if you don't mind."
She grimaced. "Well, alright... She was my sister and... She was not a smoker herself... She died two years ago."The host seemed to regret his intrudence, but knew it was his job. "Oh, and your sister didn't smoke....?"The smoker's eyes teared up. "No... No she wasn't... She hated smoking and she hated me smoking, but I did anyways.... The doctors assumed it might have been from second hand smoke, or it just ran in our family...." She got a tissue and blew her nose in a rather violent way. "I see..." The host seemed to feel sympathy. "Have you ever blamed yourself?"
She sobbed lightly.  "Yes... Every. Day. Of my life...." Her voice broke as memories flooded back. The male host nodded gently, "That is a tragic thing to experience... Its crazy that these little tobacco sticks can damage families so much... It's actually astounding.  You see people smoking in the streets... In the park... Everywhere, and a lot of them don't even think about what they are doing to themselves or their families." The smoker looked hurt by this, but she knew it was true. "And its so hard... Its just so hard to quit!  And after my sister died.... It stressed me out even more which led to more smoking.... Its just comforting... And awful for you all at once. Smoking is an endless cycle that few get out of. Oh God bless  my sister... She was so sweet." She glared at the ground.  The audience let out an 'awe' and a few people were shedding a few sparkling tears themselves.  The host sighed. "I can tell this has taken a traumatizing toll on you..." She nodded. "The financial burden is awful too.... I spend so much money on cigarettes that I could probably buy a car with all of the money I've spent on them since I've started smoking." The host seemed surprised and not at all impressed. "That's true, if a lot of people cut smoking out of their lives they would be surprised at how much more money they have. It may not seem like it but cigarettes make a difference." The smoker nodded silently.  "Well, we've come to the end of another segment of interview with a smoker.  Tomorrow we'll discuss motivation and lots of ways people try to cut smoke out of their life, for good!" The cameras stopped rolling and the crowd left once again.  The smoker stared blankly ahead in nostalgia of her sibling before bidding farewell to her host and leaving.

The final day had approached.  Everyone was sitting in their seats in anticipation.  The host jumped right in. "Welcome to our final day.... The staff here at my show, and me personally, are sad to say goodbye to our guest. She was polite and raw with her words. Well, I have no more to say except for lets cut to the chase."  The smoker sat down and she looked ready to start. "So, since its our last day do you think you can talk about the withdrawls mentally of smoking. I know you discussed some yesterday but what about motivation?"
She cleared her throat. "Quitting smoking, is a lot like weight loss.  You procrastinate it.  You say that its not affecting you now, so why bother?  You put it off till tomorrow.  And tomorrow comes and you reschedule. You can't quit cold turkey, and in fact a lot of companies have made products that can substitute nicotine, the addictive drug in tobacco, so that you can take little doses and you can work yourself all the way down to being a smoke free individual. You have nicotine patches, E- Cigarettes... All kinds of things to help you cut back.  They can be wonderful tools on your journey to a smokeless life.  When I tried quitting the first time I chose the patches.  And that's another thing. When you try to quit, you aren't going to get it right the first time and that's okay. What matters is that your trying and one day your going to succeed.  Your going to give in sometimes, but you've just gotta keep going." The host clapped slowly while the crowd was in a full out applause. "Very motivational, and inspirational!!!" The smoker smiled in a humble manner, clearly flustered. "Thank you... Thank you...." The host spoke, "So, how many times have you tried to quit?"
"Three, and just now am I getting the hang of it."
"How hard was it to resist smoking for the first time?"
"The first time, I felt pressured. A lot of teens laugh at the idea of peer pressure and don't think that it actually effects them, but it does! It really does! They'll call you names and dare you. It kind of feels like your being bullied into it. And when I smoked for the first time, I didn't even like it. The taste was awful but I kept on... Only God knows why but I kept on. So if your a teen its better to learn how to say no! And if you lose friends because of it then its their loss." The host smiled. "So after our three day talk do you want to end this with anything?"
"It's better to never start."
She quietly got up, and walked away.