Allowing 16 Year Old To Smoke

[spathiphyllum]

Is allowing, or offering a 16 year old smokes, a form of grooming if the person doing it is above the age of 21?

[bodeker]

I would not go as far as to say its grooming but obviously it's trying to get on someone's good side. I suppose it depends on how you describe grooming, people might have different views .

[hc4361]

I would suspect the motive of anyone over the age of 21 palling up with a child.

[nailit]

//I would suspect the motive of anyone over the age of 21 palling up with a child.//
A 16 yr old is not a child tho hc.

[ummmm]

Do they know how old each other are? Do they actually know each other?

[Old_Geezer]

They are. Not even 18.

[nailit]

//They are. Not even 18. //
A 16 yr old can
Have sex
Get married
Work
Joined the armed forces
Leave home
Buy a lottery ticket
Apply for a passport
etc

They are NOT children.

[Barmaid]

Depends who it is! If it is a parent saying "OK smoke if you want, it's a *** idea" that is not grooming. (Mr BM did that with his daughter and she is very anti smoking now but because it was allowed there was no mystery. Indeed at 19, she doesnt smoke, she barely drinks, she thinks drugs are a dreadful idea and she discusses her relationships with her dad).

TBH, I met Mr BM when I was 16 and he was 25. I was quite an old 16 tho and knew precisely what I was doing. We're married now. Not all those over 21 are grooming those who are much younger. I generally socialised with people much older than me at 16. But then to be fair, at 16 I was also managing an outside catering event service and I was nobody's fool. Age is not the be all and end all.

[retrocop]

Some dumb neighbour used to allow kids to congregate down the back lane access to garages and his workshop. If it was raining he opened his garage door to let them smoke inside and handed out cigarettes to them. I was invited to attend a street seminar with regard to security gates at the access end of the lane. Apparently all the garages and workshops had been screwed by our puffing billys.
When asked for advice re crime prevention and legalities with regard to a padlocked gate at their expense I told them that it would help if a certain idiot neighbour would desist from encouraging these artful dodgers to case their property whilst handing out smokes to them. :-)

[hc4361]

A 16 year old needs parental consent to get married, join the armed forces and is not entitled to benefits or to vote, nailit. In England a 16 year old can leave school only in certain circumstances. Most 16 year olds I know are most definitely children, even those that choose to smoke and have sex. There is uusually a huge difference in maturity between a 16 year old and an over 21 year old.

[Tashi]

It is madness allowing anyone to smoke, only the uneducated do it nowadays,

[Mamyalynne]

Highly irresponsible and I too would question the motives of some doing it.

[gness]

Only the uneducated smoke, Tashi? My last doctor smoked....I’m sure he wasn’t uneducated and more familiar than many with the dangers.
Yes smoking is horrid.....but certainly not limited to the uneducated?

[Rockrose]

Tashi that is the most uneducated rubbish spouted ever!!

[pixie374]

I don't smoke, but I have before. It's an addiction and nothing to do with "education". Everyone knows it isn't good for them, so telling them the same thing over and over isn't helpful.
Allowing a 16 year old to smoke or offering, isn't grooming. They are able to and they are able to make their own choices. I think you can't buy them until you are 18, but it still 16 to smoke? Or not?

[ummmm]

Yes, you can legally smoke at 16, just can't buy them until 18.

[pixie374]

Thanks ummm, I thought that was the case xx

[Jackdaw33]

It is the sale of tobacco to those under age which is forbidden, not the smoking of it.

[sanmac]

I imagine that you can "legally" smoke at any age since smoking is not illegal. However; as ummmm said, you cannot legally buy them until you are 18.

[pixie374]

Thanks JD, too x I would never recommend it to anyone of any age, but if people smoke, they smoke. Addictive behaviour is mostly genetic and isn't linked to intelligence, education, strength or character, willpower or any other cliche. Doctors know that, but aren't genuinely interested in helping people stop. Maybe they do bring in more tax than they cost.

[nailit]

//It is madness allowing anyone to smoke//
Agree.
//only the uneducated do it nowadays//
Disagree.
Ive known an awful lot of educated people (including Doctors)that have smoked like chimmneys, drank like fish and taken drugs like theres no tomorrow.
Addictions know no bounds.