15 year old son wants to buy a zippo lighter?

My 15 year-old sun asked me to buy him a zippo lighter. He says he wants one because they look cool and he wants to do tricks and stuff with it. He is near the top of his class in school and I'm fairly sure he's not smoking cigarettes or pot (if he was able to get that stuff, I don't think he'd need to ask me for a lighter). He's usually responsible but I'm just somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of him having a lighter. I'm also made more uncomfortable by the fact that he says he's an anarchist (I try not to force any kind of religious or political views on him).

[AnnieBrooke]

Do you think there is a connection between Zippo lighters and anarchism?

[AnnieBrooke]

Here is from a drug-abuse website:
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Many "smoking accessories" manufactured and sold today to kids are covert by design. We have come across "pot" pipes that are made to look like common everyday items, including magic markers, car cigarette lighters, pens, lipstick, cigarettes, Zippo lighters, key chain flashlights, cube toys, and even batteries. When in doubt, examine the suspected item closely. It won't work the same as its legitimate counterpart. Moreover, the odor of marijuana, burn marks and residue will quickly give it away.

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Does he want you to just go to the store and buy him one?  Or does he have a particular one in mind?  

You said that if he was able to get 'things like that,' (i.e., illicit things to smoke), he wouldn't have to ask you for a lighter.   All high schoolers can get things like that, they can tell you what door of the school to walk out of to get drugs.  Don't kid yourself, even middle-schoolers get offered things (often by their friends, who got them out of Mom and Dad's medicine cabinet) at the bus stop.

If he is asking you for a particular lighter and it's kind of fancy in a box, it might well be a pipe, just check it out with him and look it over.  If he just wants 'a lighter,' it's kind of puzzling.  That is why I wondered if you thought there was an anarchy connection, but it would take some odd kind of thinking to ask a parent to buy some kind of device to blow up the Houses of Parliament, like in V for Vendetta.

[RockRose]

When my son at that age asked for a zippo lighter,  I wish I'da said fine,  glad to get one for you,  but first pee in this cup and pass a drug test.

Instead,  I went out and bought the zippo lighter,  thinking it was one more funny quirky thing he likes - like calligraphy pens,  archival paper,  and rattlesnake tails.

Word to the wise - if he wants a zippo,  he's smoking pot.

[Webbers]

I bought a zippo at his age and yes it was for smoking. Cigs not pot. But I think you're in some serious denial if you don't think he is up to no good. Kids don't need lighters for any reason. There is no justification. I know you'll do what you want ultimately but speaking as an adult man I can tell you that there's only less than a handful of reasons why a kid his age would want a lighter, and none of them are good.

[Jherrick]

I used to be top of my class all through high school, my parents called me the good child, but the truth was I was smoking pot all the time, so like the previous comment said I'd ask him to take a pee test because it's not normal for a kid to just ask for a zippo lighter. Being top of the class doesn't really mean anything as far as drugs are concerned

[ry358]

I am a 14 year old and own a zippo. No, it is not for smoking. I just enjoy flicking it on and off. I am fairly top of my class with an A- average. My father allowed me to purchase a zippo because he knows that I don't smoke or do drugs, and I never will. If I were you, I would take a good look at my son and really imagine myself in his place. Even if he was doing drugs, your not stopping him by not buying him the lighter. Im sure you have a cheapo lighter for candles lying around your house that he could use. So if you trust him, buy it.

[paulbaker]

I have SO many friends who just love zippos and lighters..just because. Boys have a weird thing for them.

But if his intentions are actually to smoke..I doubt he'd be asking you for a lighter. And if that's what he wants it for, he'll end up stealing it or getting someone else to buy it for him.

[courtney48]

So, what did  you decide?  Did he get the zippo?  One of my boys began collecting zippos at about that age.  He is still a collector and he isn't a smoker/user.  He is now finishing up a college degree, on the honor roll, blah, blah, blah.  Personally, I don't think collecting an item is synonymous with illicit behavior or a religious statement.  

[Eend]

I was 11 when i bought my first Zippo... i saved up all my money to get a Harley Davidson Zippo, it came in a tin box and was beautifull.
after 3 days i told my mom and that night my father took it away from me.
you will get it back when you become 18 he said...

i was so pissed at the time and started collecting Zippo's but secretively i just love that "click" sound genuine Zippo's make.

my parents got devorced and when i turned 18 i got the zippo back.
now that Zippo was in mint condition and 5 times the original value.
I said to myself to keep it and give it to my kids when they are old enough to enjoy it.

If you like Zippo's design or the Zippo "click" you want one no matter how old you are!

I do smoke pot but this started years later when i was 18 and trust me if you want to smoke pot you get a disposable butane lighter because zippo smells too much and it kills the taste of your blunt and pot.

so if you find your son with a lot of disposable lighters he might be smoking pot.

if you give him a Zippo he will always remember you buying him one.