I saw where a member put up a post asking for help for a daughter of a friend of his who had recently taken up smoking. I just thought I would bring this one up to add a little perspective on the topic. I do programs for kids on smoking prevention and even in these programs I never really tell the kids not to smoke. I explain that I am there to show them what smoking is and what it will do to them if they take it up, but the final decision of whether or not they do it is up to each and every individual.
My guess is that there were people who tried to tell our members that they should not have ever taken it up or that they should have quit early on. It is sad how that message usually goes unheeded. I think you are seeing a lot of people trying to say that they wished that they had never taken up smoking or wished that they had quit very early on.
As per my personal style, I am not going to tell this young person not to smoke, but I sure hope she spends some time reading and learn as much as she can about the toll that cigarettes are going to take if she doesn't stop. It has to be totally up to her though if she is going to ignore the experience of many here who are trying to help her or if she will really read and learn as much about smoking as she can. The more she reads and really learns the more obvious it will become to her that she her real desire will be to never take another puff!
Joel