I have never tried smoking, drinking or street drugs. Even if I had friends or peers that did all those things or even just one of those things, it never made me want to. But overall I do agree that is is more and likely due to peer pressure or they may think it will make them cool and they will be accepted among their peers. I don't see the appeal in any of those things. With smoking and illegal drugs, it can ruin your health and I already have enough health issues, I don't need to add to it. And as for drinking, it an be done in moderation and have it not harm your body but that isn't the case for a lot of people. They get one drink and then drink all day/night and then get hang-overs and sometimes even becoming alcoholics, so that can be damaging to your liver and other organs in your body. So I don't agree with smoking or street drugs at all, cause it isn't attractive and it's not good for your health. I'm really into being as healthy as I possibly can. And besides, those things age you more than you are and you look a lot older than you are. As for alcohol, I never liked it. I tried a drink once and it didn't agree with me. I hated the taste. It was bitter and not at all something I would enjoy drinking, so therefore I don't drink and with my health problems it would make it a lot worse so I just stay away from it all together for the sake of my overall health.

Don't get me wrong, I will not judge anyone who does any of those things. That's their decision. I personally don't like any of it but I don't go around telling people; "oh you shouldn't do that." If they want to hurt their body, let them. I do care about people's health but I can't force them to take care of themselves if they don't want to. Sometimes people have to live and learn. I'm 31 and I'm still living and learning.

I know?! It's so common here in the United Kingdom. Young teenagers such as my self think it's cool to smoke and drink to fit in with a certain crowd. Personally, I have never touched anything like that, well at least not on purpose. I'm sensible and have knowledge of what these things can do to your health so I don't touch them

I think it is because they want to look cool, ad so many teenagers give in because of peer pressure and being forced to do it, so they have the need to fit in with everyone else. I hate it, there are so many bad things that can happen as a result of doing it, it is unhealthy, I am never doing that and I know too much about it and what it can do to you, so I am not going to risk my life trying to fit in and do this. It is just bad, and it really sucks because I am in a zone where it is done so commonly, high school, that is just the worst place for anything, anyways, they do it under peer pressure and trying to fit in with everyone else, that is why they get addicted to it.

I don’t even know why more teens do, maybe it’s because they think it’s cool and they want to fit in, also known as “Peer pressure”. But for me, I didn't find it cool so I never tied it and never will.

Well basically people do it because all their friends do it. Or maybe some one thinks they can get friends by doing it. It's a way to party and get "hi". Some people just like getting drunk and "hi". And they tell themselves that it isn't all that bad for them. If you have like 2 friends that smoke, chances are you lose those friends or you smoke as well. Most smoking leads to other drugs and alcohol. Pretty soon your blowing all your money on crack or meth. Even though getting addicted to marijuana is rare you can still blow a lot of money on that as well. Kids do it mostly cuz they have nothing else going on in their life. They get bored so when a friends comes and offers some they say why not?

I'm not entirely sure, but I think its the impression that smoking relieves stress.

Why do so many teenagers take up smoking?, Well in my own opinion most teenagers take up smoking because they either want to fit in with a certain crowd and or to look cool, or they take it up due to the fact adults in their lives smoke, or  they do it to take their mind of off their problems for a while and or to help cope with person problems they are facing in their lives. I say half of most teenagers take up smoking due to peer pressure though and the other significant half  of teenagers that smoke do it because they need a way to cope with going through a hard time in their life.

Smoking is on a decrease which is great. However, I'm sure we may start seeing more people "smoke" with the rise of the new electronic cigarette... but only for a little while; I think they are mostly used be already existing smokers, and I really think smoking is on it's way down. If/when marijuana is legalized, that will definitally be much bigger than smoking, and smoking will become all but rare.