Ever been asked to go out for a smoke with
your friend? I sure have, especially when there’s drinking involved. It can be
such an awkward situation to say “No” to your friend without singling them out
as doing a ‘bad thing’. Even worse, it can be embarrassing to then have your
friends pick on you for being the ‘goodie two-shoes’. For those who used to
smoke, it’s even harder to say no and avoid jumping back on the bandwagon!
So how do I avoid these awkward situations
and stand my ground? I avoid these situations at all costs. Here are some of my
tips for avoiding the peer pressure surrounding socialized smoking.
1) Inform your friends! Don’t be afraid to
be open about your personal decision, both at the bar and at home. If they are
your true friends, they’ll respect that. Those who make you feel bad, well time
to ditch them!
2) Be proud. Your decision to live a
healthy lifestyle should not be something to hide, especially if you’ve
recently quit! Just because you’re proud doesn’t mean your judging others. If
that’s how they interpret it well just have a conversation with them.
3) Get informed. There are so many
resources out there that can help you stay smoke free and even sway your
friends to move towards living a smoke free life. UOHS has free smoking
cessation resources and you can always hit up Leave the Pack Behind on campus
or via the Internet to get more information on smoking risks, resources and
more.
For all those smokers out there, this isn’t
to judge you! We all have our vices; heck mine is coffee (by the boat loads).
All us non-smokers are asking for is respect. We aren’t going to hound you to
quit so don’t hound us to start. If any of you are looking to quit then reach
out! The resources to stay smoke free are the same for those needed to help you
quit. At the end of the day it’s your
decision. We’re all just trying to live our best lives.
Nicola, 2nd year MSc Student
LTPB Social Change Specialist