At 2:42, every student waits for the final bell to ring. Many are looking forward to going home and watching a Youtube video, or checking their Snapchat or Instagram. Others are looking forward to getting home and inhaling over 4,000 chemicals into their body. And for what

  Their addiction.

  Every smoker knows that smoking causes cancer. Every smoker knows it cuts down on life. Every smoker knows it smells. So why smoke?

  WO Sr. Adam Stick (not his real name) started smoking cigarettes at age 10. Stick would get cigarettes from kids on his street and from his mother. He smokes heavily.“It started off small” said Stick, “but it didn’t stay small.” He started smoking three packs a day because of stress, costing approximately $50.00 a day because he bought the cigarettes for resale from dealers that sell to uderage smokers. In a week that’s around $350.00 on cigarettes and the cost ranges from $1,400.00 a month to a frightening $6,800.00 a year. Adam just needed more and more so he got a job working for a family friend making $16.00 an hour. And what did he buy? “ I would use every cent of my money on cigarettes and weed, and buy them from a friend or sometimes even my mom.”

  It wasn’t only costing him money; it also cost him his astonishing athletic abilities. Stick used to be one of the best players on the rugby team. He’s really disappointed in himself because he can’t even run a mile anymore. His athletic abilities aren’t the only problem Stick had because of his smoking. Stick believes it has also affected his grades. “Freshman year I only passed U.S History A, all that I would worry about was getting cigarettes”

  “If I could I would never smoke,” said Stick. “ I hate it. I hate smelling it and I hate people saying that I smell like cigarettes. It’s short and simple: if you smoke you stink. Nobody goes up to a smoker and says ‘ooh what is that cologne you’re wearing. Gucci?’” Stick also offered advice to people considering picking up the habit of smoking  “Don’t smoke. It ruins your body, and your life; that’s why I am trying to quit. I have started vaping and over time I am bringing down my nicotine levels, but now all that I do is vape and I have noticed I am getting healthier. Eventually I will be completely off the drug – at least I hope so.”

  Overall, no matter the stress, it is important to not turn to cigarettes. It just makes stress worse. They stink and are very costly (especially being under age, they can go for 15 bucks a pack). They also ruin mental and physical abilities, they are highly addictive and they are hard to quit. Stick’s evidence can give everybody a good lesson.  If someone were ever considering picking up a cigarette just remember the real cost.