What Kind of Smoker Am I?

I'm not one. And odds are in my favor that I never will be. If I was one, though, what kind would I be? In the final chapter of Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell, the US "smoking epidimic," types of smokers, and ultimate causes of smoking are analyzed. While the results he discusses are, frankly, predictable, it got me thinking about why I don't smoke, never have smoked, and have no desire to smoke in the future. I mean, I'm a teenager, I spend several hours a day in my car commuting (meaning I have time to do it), and I have easy access to cigarettes; so what gives?

Gladwell says that three things influence a person's tendency to smoke: genetic predisposition, how "taboo" smoking is in the family, and peer pressure. In theory, the more tolerant a person's body is to nicotene, the more likely the person will smoke. The more rebellious it appears to be, the more likely a person (especially a teenager) is to try it. The more peer pressure to smoke, the more likely a person is to give in to it. However, Gladwell never gave a concrete explanation of which aspect carries the most weight (although his presentation suggests that there is a pecking order). I am not a doctor, nor do I have anything but my own experiences to go on, but I am going to make a conjecture: parents' attitudes toward experimenting with cigarettes is the ultimate determinant.

First, I'd like to rule out genetic predisposition. My paternal grandmother smoked heavily. My father has the occassional cigar while mowing the yard. My mother was an avid smoker in her teenage years, quit when she was pregnant with me, and a few months ago picked it up again. Genetically, I am not necessarily predisposed to nicotene addiction, but my body could handle it (and probably in very large amounts if my grandmother is any indication).

Second, I'd like to rule out peer pressure. My circle of friends consists largely of college students, many of whom smoke. I am frequently offered cigarettes ("C'mon, just one. It's not gonna kill ya..."). Occassionally, I end up riding in a car with someone who wants to light up. There is plenty of pressure, but I give a polite "No, thanks," and take a pass on the cigarettes.

Now, I'll make the case for parental attitudes. My mother's parents are incredibly strict: my mom would have gotten the crap beat out of her if my grandmother knew about her smoking habit as a teenager. Smoking was absolutely not permitted in her family: the feeling of badass rebellion was just a puff away for my mom. My father's family, on the other hand, would have had no problem with him smoking. He didn't feel compelled to smoke.

I have had a drag of one cigar: I might have been 6 at the time. I saw my dad smoking and asked if I could try. He let me have a puff and I hated it. End of story. At no point in my teenage years have I ever felt that I was rebelling if I picked up smoking. And I haven't.

Or maybe I am just so genetically similar to my father that I run no risk of nicotene addiction and have an utter disregard for my peers' opinions of me (and therefore withstand peer pressure), in which case genetics is the most important component. But I'd like to give my dad's wisdom and foresight the benefit of the doubt.