Op-ed: Nicotine, rebellion and the fight to do better for the next generation

By Jessika Easterling, Founding Executive Director, OUR Place (Open United Recovery)

I smoked my first cigarette the summer before high school, rolled with American Spirit tobacco a friend had swiped. We sat under the sun, curious and rebellious, and I got a buzz that felt delightfully lightheaded and pleasant— almost invigorating. By fall, I was posted up on “the hill” behind the school parking lot with the rest of the misfits, lighting up before first bell and again at lunch. I wasn’t trying to fit in—I never did. I was loud, dramatic, and voted “most unique” more times than I can count. But like so many others, my first act of rebellion turned into a chemical leash I’ve been dragging around ever since.