Transitioning from high school to college marks a significant cultural shift that often goes unacknowledged. Suddenly, you find yourself surrounded by individuals from diverse backgrounds and with a wide array of interests. Among them, many have interesting habits while some have less desirable ones – like smoking. And the difficulty is that a lot of smokers will pressurise their friends, who are non-smokers, to smoke as well. It is the ‘cool’ thing to do and anyone who doesn’t smoke or drink, becomes uncool.
For example, a woman took to X to share a picture of a cigarette and a cup of chai and captioned it, “Hey smokers and losers (non-smokers) wyd?”, insinuating that those who do not smoke are “losers”.
However, Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy, a practising cardiologist in Bengaluru, responded to a post by sharing how the youngest patient he sent for triple bypass surgery was a 23-year-old female smoker. He urged people to be a “loser” and live a healthy life.
The youngest patient I've sent for a triple bypass surgery was a 23y old girl smoker. #HeartAttack #MedTwitter
Be a loser (as per this lady) and live healthy. https://t.co/TsJI8qFrWG— Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy (@DrDeepakKrishn1) May 6, 2024
Several others slammed the girl for portraying smoking as cool, establishing a harmful precedent, and potentially leading impressionable individuals to adopt the habit. Such messaging glamorizes a behavior with severe health consequences. Here’s what some people said:
Unfortunately those so called LOSERS can last longer than you in bed + outperform you in running, cycling and swimming + Live longer than you.
— Adi69LassiSeller aka Watermelon (@adinpcta1) May 5, 2024
when you are wired to pipes & fluids & have COPD, i challange you to write this exact same tweet. nothing personal. just don’t promote tobacco as cool here.
— Anshuman Konduri 🐾🐾 (@shu_says__) May 6, 2024
Tag your parents and let them judge if you are a loser or not.
Quit it before life quits on you.
— ಸುಷ್ಮಾ ಅಯ್ಯಂಗಾರ್ (@malnadkoos) May 6, 2024
It is the smokers who lose everything in the longer run, health, looks, confidence, self-esteem and eventually, life itself. Non-smokers, on the contrary, exude charm, walk with pride, look energetic & high-spirited and make the most of life.
— Jay Subramanyam (@jaivas22) May 8, 2024
Most of the time when I’ve joked with smoker friends ‘teach me how to smoke’, they’ve always declined and told me how it is the worst habit they’ve had and wish they could quit. But, sure, losers. https://t.co/OE7BU4ojuX
— Nirwa Mehta (@nirwamehta) May 7, 2024
My friend went through hell because of smoking. She started smoking after her engagement fell apart. Messed her body up. Then left it. It screwed her body even more. The constipation that came in the withdrawal state was so bad that she got piles and had to get operated later on!… https://t.co/FbT9nacj3n
— ಸುಷ್ಮಾ ಅಯ್ಯಂಗಾರ್ (@malnadkoos) May 6, 2024
Portraying smoking as glamorous or cool can lead to more people trying it, especially young individuals. By making it seem cool, we’re sending the wrong message that it’s acceptable when in reality, it’s harmful.
Do better!