High Life: A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : Smokers Will Quit--for a Price

Today is the annual Great American Smokeout, during which the American Cancer Society encourages smokers nationwide to give up cigarettes for 24 hours.

According to the American Cancer Society, 90% of all smokers start by age 19 and 60% start by age 14 (four years before they are legally allowed to smoke in California). The tobacco industry must recruit more than 5,000 new smokers every day to replace the adult smokers who quit or die of cigarette-induced diseases.

Hot Topics wonders, “What would it take to get you to give up cigarette smoking?”

“I’m not sure, maybe a car or being threatened at gunpoint. It would actually take someone I really care about to ask me to quit.”

Dave Sentenn, 16, junior, Brea-Olinda

“It would have to take one family member of mine dying of smoking . . . or $500,000.”

Brenda Wine, 14, freshman, Los Amigos

“If it put me in the hospital, I would quit.”

Ron Konye, 15, sophomore, Huntington Beach

“I’m not sure. Smoking is my vice. Giving it up would subject me to pain, vulnerability and a feeling of vacantness. I don’t think I could deal with that.”

Chris, 17, senior, Marina

“My mother on her death bed pleading with me not to smoke.”

Anonymous, 17, senior, Trabuco Hills

“What would get me to give up smoking is if they abandoned cigarettes.”

Loc Huynh, 18, senior, Los Amigos

“A good replacement for cigarettes.”

Courtney Frilot, 14, freshman, Huntington Beach

“If my parents find out that I smoke and ground me for a long time, then I think I would stop.”

Melissa, 16, junior, Marina

“Either pregnancy or if I started losing friends due to smoking, since a lot of people don’t really like to be around smokers. Also, if I truly liked a guy who didn’t like girls who smoke. I honestly feel it wouldn’t take much to get me to quit.”

Anonymous, 15, sophomore, Trabuco Hills

“I quit because it got very old and very boring.”

Cris Mardiaga, 16, junior, Brea-Olinda

“I would give up smoking if I start choking when I run the mile, or coughing.”

Isaac Mills, 14, freshman, Los Amigos

“Lots of money, because when you quit smoking you eat a lot.”

Eddie Heyden, 16, junior, Huntington Beach

“I might give it up if my teeth all turned brown and fell out, and everyone refused to talk to me because of my smoker’s breath. Then I could try that nicotine patch.”

Michael, 15, freshman, Marina

“It would either take lots of money or the thought of dying.”

John, 15, sophomore, Trabuco Hills

“If I felt really committed to quitting, I think I can. I probably need somebody important in my life to tell me to quit.”

Toru Tokoyoda, 17, junior, Brea-Olinda

“A bribe.”

Tom Richie, 14, freshman, Los Amigos

“A reason that was stronger than the urge to smoke.”

David Stone, 18, senior, Huntington Beach

“I don’t think there is really anything that could make me give up smoking.”

Jennifer, 15, sophomore, Marina

“The only thing that could make me quit is if I became pregnant, because I wouldn’t want to damage the baby.”

Anonymous, 17, senior, Trabuco Hills

“Nothing.”

Roy, 17, senior, Los Amigos

“I already quit because it’s too expensive.”

Wyatt Prichard, 16, sophomore, Brea-Olinda

“It wouldn’t take anything. I can give up when I want to.”

Chris, 17, junior, Trabuco Hills

Responses gathered by Hallie Kim (Brea-Olinda), Morgan Howard (Huntington Beach), Jennifer Chau (Los Amigos), Lauren Altman (Marina) and Michele Hainley (Trabuco Hills).