How to get 7th graders to smoke
Attempts to stop kids from smoking and using drugs often backfire, commenters argue, because they rely on fear, shaming, and obviously manipulative messaging that teens instinctively reject. Many point to D.A.R.E.-style programs, graphic PSAs, and abstinence-only approaches as examples that either glamorize the taboo behavior, destroy trust by exaggerating harms, or push curiosity underground. A recurring theme is that behavior change is hard and context-dependent: peer groups, media portrayals, family habits, and broader culture matter more than one-off trainings, and efforts that work best tend to make harmful behavior look uncool or pitiable rather than forbidden and exciting.
Anti‑smoking campaigns and media effects
- Several comments recall that tobacco-funded anti‑smoking ads (from the Master Settlement) often looked like “cool” smoking propaganda to kids.
- Many argue that making smoking prominent—even negatively—keeps it salient and can glamorize it.
- Some suggest the real win came from making smoking largely invisible or uncool in mainstream media, not from PSAs.
- Others propose satire or “cringe” campaigns that make smokers look ridiculous, not edgy or persecuted.
Teen psychology, peer pressure, and the forbidden allure
- Strong theme: kids resist obvious manipulation and “nannying”; pushing too hard can backfire (the Streisand effect).
- Peer behavior and modeling by older kids and adults are seen as stronger drivers than classroom messaging.
- Smoking and drugs often function as “signifiers of adulthood” or rebellion more than about the drug itself.
Drug education (DARE, scare tactics, and trust)
- Many recall DARE and similar programs as fear‑based, misleading, and often lumping all drugs together.
- Once teens discover exaggerations (e.g., about cannabis), they often discard the whole message and explore widely.
- A minority report that DARE visuals (e.g., lung demos) or simple illegality and religious norms successfully deterred them.
- Comparisons are drawn to abstinence‑only sex ed: high on shame, low on honest, nuanced information.
Vaping, nicotine economics, and addiction mechanics
- Multiple anecdotes: vaping can be far cheaper than cigarettes if done with refillable hardware and DIY juice; disposables can rival or exceed cigarette costs.
- Discussion of nicotine salts, throat “feel,” and ritual shows that method/experience matter as much as the chemical.
- Concern that high‑nicotine disposables can rapidly create dependence, especially for youth.
What actually deters use (anecdotes)
- Powerful deterrents cited: watching relatives die of lung cancer, graphic ads (tracheostomy smokers), and realistic films about addiction (Requiem for a Dream, Trainspotting, Pulp Fiction overdose scenes).
- Direct exposure to homelessness and overdose in cities is described as more impactful than classroom lectures.
Can behavior‑change programs work?
- Some point to large drops in teen cigarette smoking as evidence that broad anti‑smoking efforts “worked,” though others credit price hikes, ad bans, and cultural shifts more than school programs.
- General skepticism that one‑off trainings (anti‑drug, harassment, diversity) meaningfully change behavior; many see them mainly as liability shields.
- A recurring view: lasting change usually requires altering the wider environment and culture, not just short curricula.