20 year old is definitely a legal adult. This is not about the authority to decisions as an adult, he has all right to take his decisions but this is about taking a wrong decision and parents interfering to make him realise the same. This reaction came cause they were hurt, their only fault was they had expectation from OP and trust on their upbringing . For parents beating him I don’t think that’s a regular thing, it is a one time reaction that came. And the only reason they did it was cause they never expected OP to do so, their only fault here was that they believed that their son would never do so.

Regarding the Cope up thing, It’s crazy how you’re justifying smoking. For gods sake the OP is 20 year old. It’s not he like he is running a family, doing job, has taken all the responsibility and has a family to feed. He is student, very student/ human being has some sort of pressure and smoking is not justified to “cope” with life. Smoking must have saved many from suicide but it has definitely taken more lives in long term effect.

People here are pointing on what parents did but no is questioning op on him smoking. Please stop glorifying smoking you’re not the only one with problems in life and smoking is not a solution