Rebel Youths and the Fashion of Smoking

 

Yzunchho Limbu,

Smoking is not just because of frustration in the present days but also considered to be a highly acceptable fashion trend in Nepal.

Nutan Limbu, a resident of UK says that teenagers are unlikely to have frustrations so she agrees that they smoke for fashion. But, she says that smoking in public should be restricted because everyone knows it’s equally harmful to inhale and to smoke. She feels that kids are same either in Nepal or abroad, but abroad smoking is a bit less in comparison to Nepal.

“The restaurants of US used to have smoking and no smoking zone until last year but now you can smoke no more in the restaurants because they are trying to band public smoking”, says Kiran Limbu, who is currently staying in the States. He said that lots of people smoke for fashion and also a concern for social circle. But minors in the US are not allowed to buy cigarettes and alcohol. If the store clerk is caught doing so, they have to pay fine starting US$ 1000- 5000 for the first time and more severe punishments if it’s repeated and seize of license. He feels that these strict rules are definitely great and lessen public smoking. He also adds that raising tax and prices may do some heal to this problem and may help reduce smoking for new beginners or at least youths who do not have excess amount of money.

Rajesh Rai, a non- smoker, says this legal product invites several diseases like cancer but people still take them. He says, “One should be responsible for his/ her own health. I feel the main cause of people smoking can be peer pressure”. He said that many of his friends started smoking from teenage due to the pressure of other friends. Shyam Magar feels that frustration can also be one of the major cause of people smoking but as for the fashion side, he totally agrees that youths are into smoking nowadays for fashion. “Parents in Nepal do not pay much attention nowadays and also there are no strict rules like abroad in Nepal. So youths smoke for fashion. Even girls do it”, he added. He said that to smoke or not to smoke depend on us because we all are well- aware about the effects of it and that it will be our mistake if we call our own untimely death.

“Teenagers are like rebels and have the tendency to do the opposite of what they are told and also consider adults to be at fault”, says Semeek Limbu. He adds, “Strict control on smoking for people has the opposite effects as it forms a sort of forbidden fruit. For me, it doesn’t matter if someone smokes or not as long as they’re not blowing at me”. He expresses his displeasure that it’s become a trend in Nepal and that the teens think themselves to be cool while they smoke. He further adds, “What next will it be cool to cut oneself as well”?

Smoking, for fashion, has taken up the country and also the young generations. Some people try to downgrade it, but for fashion it has been, the rapid rate is difficult to reduce.