Oral History: Started Smoking At The Age Of 16 Until 31

(Student’s name)
(Professor’s name)
Social Sciences
25 September 2017
Interview of an Ex-Smoker
Oral History: Started smoking at the age of 16 until 31
Reason for smoking: First it was just influence from friends and then when the ex-smoker started to enter adulthood, it was no longer a matter of fitting in with their group. They had a lot to deal with and turned to smoking as an outlet of their troubles. At the age of 16, the ex-smoker only finished 5 sticks a day, but as time went by, it increased to a minimum of 1 pack per day. The ex-smoker said that their reason for smoking differs depending on their life stage. When she was younger, she found it easier to limit the number of sticks, but had a hard time with it because of stress. The ex-smoker found it refreshing every time she smoked because aside from stress and problems, it helped with her anxiety.
Why she quit smoking: She quit smoking because she got exposed to more physical fitness activities. Even if she found it hard at first because her lungs were weak, she learned to work her way up and that is how she managed to stop smoking. It was difficult at first because she went through a withdrawal period, but it is all fine now. The brand of tobacco she smoked was Marlboro.
The “image” of the brand based on the ex-smoker: She describes the brand to be the most common choice for smokers and it is widely available anywhere in the world. In addition, the “taste” of Marlboro cigarettes is the most tolerable compared to other brands. The range of tobacco products Marlboro offers is based on the different types of smokers. For instance, if a person is just getting started with smoking, there are Marlboro Lights that can be bought. The “lights” have lesser flavor compared to the “gold” kind. There is a misconception that it contains less tar, less nicotine, or not as risky to the health. The “lights” only have filters that are designed to lessen tar and nicotine consumption. This a fact and cannot be denied.
How the brand appealed to them: The brand appealed to them in such a way that they see it is widely available and a lot of people are smoking it. Since they see it everywhere and a lot of people like it, they think that it is a good choice. Furthermore, most of the people who introduce smoking to a person most of the time smoke Marlboro. Since the company is a big manufacturer of tobacco, they also have stronger ones for those who want more flavor. This is the kind of appeal they have on people. No matter what type smoker you are, there is something available.
I think that the smoker started at a young age, but the reason for doing it changes as they get older. This might be true for some smokers out there and the ex-smoker is suffering ...