Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Interview with Stacy Lewis

Stacy first tried a cigarette when she was eleven years old.  She started smoking on a regular basis when she was fifteen.  Her older sister influenced her to start smoking.  They thought that it would be cool to smoke.  Stacy's entire family smokes so she has grown up around people who smoke, though she says this does not influence her.  Stacy agrees with Carolyn that the new graphic warning labels are a good idea.  However, Stacy isn't quite as convinced as Carolyn that the warning labels will help her to quit.  Stacy has tried to quit smoking twice; the first time she lasted a year and a half and the second time was only three and a half weeks.  She smokes when she's bored, driving or drinking.  If times are particularly stressful and money is a little tight, Stacy will sacrifice some things in order to smoke.  She has had many people suffer from a smoking related disease.  Her grandpa died of lung cancer, her other grandpa had emphysema, and her step mom has high blood pressure and has had a stroke and is currently recovering from a heart attack.  Due to the recent life-threatening heart attack her step mom suffered, Stacy is trying to quit since her step mom is now trying.  Smoking is even affecting Stacy's health.  She has smoker's cough and shortness of breath.

(S. Lewis, personal communication, February 18, 2012)

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