topic Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings? in Community Chat

Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

CardinalGirl — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 16:51:33 GMT

Something someone said on another post made me think of this topic. First, I want to say that I think it is a common occurance. But I was NEVER allowed to do it as a child. In fact, I was never allowed to have candy cigarettes, which were around when I was a kid.

I did not allow my children to do it, nor would I allow my grandchildren to do it. In fact, I stopped one of our grandsons just last week when he was pretending to smoke, using a straw. I believe children need to be taught when they are young that smoking is not acceptable.

Anyone else have an opinion? I'm just interested.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

deepwaterdotter — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 16:54:41 GMT

I remember imitating smoking with candy cigarettes. But at that time the dangers of smoking were not publicized. I'm glad that they stopped making candy cigarettes.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

JuJu Squeezie — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 16:55:33 GMT

I grew up with candy cigarettes and parents that smoked. Almost all the grown-ups smoked.

They didn't know the end results of smoking then but now...I don't approve of smoking for anyone and pretending to smoke wouldn't be anything I'd want children to emulate. It's a stupid/risky choice to smoke.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

Nancy Drew — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 16:55:42 GMT

My 3 year old granddaughter pretends to smoke because her aunt smokes the electronic cigs. She has the face of an angel and is blonde/blue eyed and was wearing her Frozen princess dress. It was such a contradiction that I snapped a pic. It was hilarious. Now she will pretend to smoke to make me laugh. It is innocent and funny. I don't see this as a real issue as her parents don't drink or smoke.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

goodstuff — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 16:55:58 GMT

My parents didn't smoke and never allowed us to have candy cigarettes or to "play smoke", either, and I wouldn't encourage it in children or grandchildren. Kids will mimic behaviors they see in adults, in movies, etc., however. I'd take an occasion like that as an opportunity to teach, not as a catastrophe.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

beckyb1012 — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 16:57:36 GMT

On 7/24/2014 deepwaterdotter said:
I remember imitating smoking with candy cigarettes. But at that time the dangers of smoking were not publicized. I'm glad that they stopped making candy cigarettes.

I remember the many boxes I had in the late 60's and pretended as well. Smoking was everywhere and was expected and even encouraged.

Now I would hate to see any child pretending to smoke.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

CardinalGirl — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 16:58:23 GMT

On 7/24/2014 GoodStuff said:
My parents didn't smoke and never allowed us to have candy cigarettes or to "play smoke", either, and I wouldn't encourage it in children or grandchildren. Kids will mimic behaviors they see in adults, in movies, etc., however. I'd take an occasion like that as an opportunity to teach, not as a catastrophe.

I agree.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

stilltamn8r — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:00:36 GMT

Gosh, I thought we ALL did it back as kids. After all, there were candy cigarettes and bubble gum cigarettes and even bubblegum cigars....I remember if you blew the gum cigarettes hard enough,a little powder " smoke" would come out the end of the paper!!!!

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

LilacTree — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:01:55 GMT

ITA. Kids want to do what the grownups do. I didn't know they still sold candy cigarettes.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

Nancy Drew — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:02:02 GMT

I played with candy cigs all the time. I never once even wanted to smoke and from the age of 18 to 24 was around many, many smokers. I am more worried about the obesity problem, that is the behavior they are copying from their parents.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

CardinalGirl — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:03:37 GMT

On 7/24/2014 Ford1224 said:
ITA. Kids want to do what the grownups do. I didn't know they still sold candy cigarettes.

They are packaged as candy ""sticks"" now....but still look like cigarettes.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

Elstongunn — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:10:00 GMT

It wouldn't bother me. Kids imitate things they see all of the time, but it doesn't mean they are actually going to take it up (whatever they are imitating). A lot of things they do is to just get a reaction from the adults, I suspect.

Now if they were imitating the Three Stooges by hitting someone over the head with a frying pan or poking their fingers into another kid's eyes, then yeah, I'd stop that.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

scotttie — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:11:39 GMT

We had candy cigs as a child. I would be creeped out if my kids or grands pretended to smoke. Mother died of lung cancer due to smoking.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

LilacTree — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:39:48 GMT

On 7/24/2014 scotttie said:
We had candy cigs as a child. I would be creeped out if my kids or grands pretended to smoke. Mother died of lung cancer due to smoking.

My mom died from smoking, age 49, inoperable lung cancer. Almost three years ago, my beloved sister also died from smoking, age 72, had colon cancer first which metastasized to both of her lungs. She was too fragile for chemo (and would not have taken it anyway).

I know we are not supposed to use the word, but I HATE smoking and those who push this hideous killer on the public.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

wildcat fan — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:48:01 GMT

On 7/24/2014 CardinalGirl_ said:
On 7/24/2014 Ford1224 said:
ITA. Kids want to do what the grownups do. I didn't know they still sold candy cigarettes.

They are packaged as candy "sticks" now....but still look like cigarettes.

I used to love these as a child! Now I don't think I could stand the taste of one. I pretended to smoke with the candy cigs, but I've never tried a real cig. Being around cigarette smoke makes me extremely uncomfortable (coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, etc.).

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

muttmom — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:51:44 GMT

I remember having candy cigarettes but that was a million years ago. I would never buy them (are they still available) for my grandchildren. If one of them pretended he or she were smoking, I would not think it to be cute.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

scotttie — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:52:32 GMT

On 7/24/2014 Ford1224 said:
On 7/24/2014 scotttie said:
We had candy cigs as a child. I would be creeped out if my kids or grands pretended to smoke. Mother died of lung cancer due to smoking.

My mom died from smoking, age 49, inoperable lung cancer. Almost three years ago, my beloved sister also died from smoking, age 72, had colon cancer first which metastasized to both of her lungs. She was too fragile for chemo (and would not have taken it anyway).

I know we are not supposed to use the word, but I HATE smoking and those who push this hideous killer on the public.

I agree. I have complete sympathy for the poor people who are addicted and can't quit like my mom but I hate cigarettes

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

TheKingsMistress — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 18:00:30 GMT

My parents were non-smokers but allowed us to play with candy cigs. Never smoked real cigs and I don't believe there's a direct link from candy cigs to real cigs. They also let us sip wine at 12 mixed with 7UP and we didn't grow up to be alcoholics either. JMO.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

occasionalrain — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 18:10:57 GMT

What a lot of nonsense.

Making the harmless play of smoking into a big taboo is just going to make it more appealing. People should be more concerned with their children modeling their pill popping behavior.

Re: Children pretending to smoke. What are your feelings?

brii — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 18:21:36 GMT

I remember having candy cigarettes. A lot of adults smoked when I was little. I never smoked and my kids never even wanted candy cigarettes. They don't like to smell smoke either. What bothers me are these E cigarettes. A lot of the young kids think they are cool. I still don't think they are safe. N