answer:It amazes me that kids still think smoking is cool. I wonder if lung cancer is also cool – I guess we’ll see in about 20 years. He’s lying. How do I know? First, because 17-year-old boys are liars. Two, because he’s trying to save his own ass by making up some bogus story. And three, he’s addicted to nicotine. If he’s been caught twice, imagine how long he’s been smoking on the DL. This means that if this “friend” started smoking and he was around it enough to reek of smoke, he would smoke as well. He couldn’t resist. Unfortunately, he probably won’t quit until he has a better reason than “mommy and daddy say I can’t.” Should you tell your parents? Eh, your call, it probably won’t help either way. It may stop him from telling you anything from here on out. Trust is a fickle thing. I must admit I giggled when I read that your parents have him a “pardon” – is this prison?