It’s not my fault that I smoke

That is the message being sent by this study, which reports that teenagers affected by Hurricane Katrina are more likely to smoke than teenagers who didn’t have to live through the horror of George W. Bush’s indifference to black people in New Orleans, or something like that. I am not sure if the main stressors came from the hurricane or the idiots who populate the city and vote criminally inclined incompetents into office over and over again.

“The physical damage was easy to see, but the psychological damage from the hurricanes was pretty well hidden,” said Alfred L. McAlister, a behavioral scientist and an author of the study. “The hurricanes had an emotional impact on the youth and we need to recognize that and give them the help they need. Otherwise, they use tobacco as a crutch and then they become addicted.”

Almost 38 percent of students who reported they had a family member hurt or killed in the 2005 hurricanes also reported that they now were smoking, according to the study. In comparison, 13 percent who did not endure a death or injury in the family said they smoked.

Smoking rates were also higher among Jefferson County students whose homes were damaged or destroyed or if they had family or friends with damaged or destroyed homes, according to the study.

Students who still were living in temporary housing and who were absent from school for more than two months due to the hurricanes were two times more likely to smoke than their counterparts.

About 22 percent of American teenagers smoke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

McAlister said the study shows teens turned to smoking to cope with the disruption.

“Raised stress levels lead to more smoking,” he said. “It was not shocking to find that relationship after the hurricanes.”

OK, fine, so stress leads people to smoke more. That’s not a news flash! It is still your fault you tried it in the first place. I am not sure why we spend all the time we do hyperanalyzing this kind of crap. I smoke, and I don’t blame anyone but me. When I am ready to quit, I will. Same thing applies whether you are a giant fatty, have a gambling problem, beat your spouse or have sex with anything that moves. It is your choice, and it is your fault, and you will only quit when you get sick of yourself. Quit blaming the hurricanes life throws your way for every stupid behavior you repeat on a daily basis. Put down that 2-pound cheeseburger or throw away your pack of Camels if you don’t like yourself, but don’t think it is anyone else’s fault that you ended up where you are.

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