Many people just don't think that an addiction to smoking is as "bad" as other drugs - because so many people do it, and it is not against the law. However, people often don't feel as though they should quit, because smoking as seen as much more socially acceptable than other things. How can I make a certain family member, who is a smoker, see just how bad for them it can be, before it's too late?
As a former smoker myself, there's little you can do. You can nag this person until they are blue in the face but I can guarantee you that they will not qut unless they want to for themselves.
I know, I consider the social acceptance of smoke a real problem in our society, people see smoking as something so inoffensive because they still don't see people dying because of it... I think that the best thing that you can do to help that person is showing them the risks of smoking, testimonials of people with diseases related with smoke, etc. You can show them this image too, as a smoker it made me think a lot and I'm currently trying to quit. http://dropsmokingnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Smoker-Quit-Benefits.png
It'll be very hard to even make them consider quitting but it never hurts to try. Usually, smoking addicts are still smoking cigarettes for 2 reason: they are addicted and can't help it or they're simply using it as a tool to relieve stress. It's pretty hard to make a smoker reconsider his beliefs, but that is common for every substance.
I have tried every possible way to stop my husband from smoking. I even used the 'child card' but he just shrugged it off. I think if that person does not have the intention to quit smoking himself, then anything we say or do is not going to help. We can only do so much if the people we are trying to help are not really wanting to change.
But it isn't as bad as many other drugs. It takes seven years off your life. Ya, it sucks, but I'd rather be a smoker (which I'm not, I quit recently) than be a heroin addict. If you look it up, you'll see that heroin poses a way bigger risk on your well being than smoking does. If you tell a smoker otherwise, they may not listen to anything else you have to say about smoking.
This. I just quit smoking cigarettes after 30+ plus years (I do vaping though). I've also seen what heroin and other drugs can do to people, and not only to them, but to everyone around them. While smoking is bad, terrible for you, and it is an addiction, you won't get far with anyone by comparing it to "worse" drugs. If someone had tried that with me, I wouldn't have taken them seriously at all. I'd recommend avoiding hyperbole and just letting them know you love them and you want them to quit, because you want them to be around longer.
There's not much you can do. Smokers know the consequences of their smoking. Two decades of anti-smoking campaigns. You think there's anyone in the globe who still doesn't know the risks? They chose to take that risk, hence telling them to quit due to the risks will be in vain. Best you can do is mention how their smoking makes you feel and how you d0n't want to lose them. You won't convince a smoker through logic but you might through emotion.
You can tell them all you want. You can present proof. You can nag them. You can so whatever you want but the person is not going to quit until they are ready to. You can't make somebody do something that they don't want to do even though it is not good for them. They know how bad cigarettes are. Everybody does but they choose to smoke regardless of what they know and what others say.
You could always try to persuade them to stop though as it has been mentioned but there's no guarantee it will work: - Be direct. Tell your loved one that you want them to stop smoking. State your reasons but ensure they get the feeling that you are concerned about their health. - If s/he is unwilling to quit then find out why they are unwilling to stop smoking. Armed with this knowledge you could find a better strategy to get them to stop smoking. And while you shouldn't give up, don't nag that person either. This would offend them and probably make the problem worse than it was.