Smoking tobacco is part of many societies and cultures. It is also a major cause of many diseases, including cancers.

There are many factors that play significant roles in influencing people to smoke, but the most common ones appear to be peer pressure, family history of smoking and the tobacco industry's advertising and media campaigns portraying smoking as a glamorous and socially accepted behavior. Family Smoking Family smoking and role models are significant factors in influencing young children to smoke. An article in the Journal of Consumer Affairs by Karen H. Smith and Mary Ann Stutts, reported that the most important factors associated with smoking are family smoking behavior, peer pressure and prior beliefs about smoking. Young people tend to imitate their parents behavior. In addition to the notion that smoking is an acceptable behavior, children often see smoking as grown-up behavior, which further encourages them to smoke. Children from families where smoking is prevalent tend to develop the habit and are less likely to quit later in life.
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shipping!www.smeshstyle.com Peer Pressure Peer pressure is a significant factor for many people who start to smoke. Economic status, educational level and family history are significant factors that determine the level of peer pressure and the consequences of such pressures. A 1993 study by Cornelia Pechmann, published in Marketing Science Institute, concluded that prior beliefs refer to the images and ideas about smoking that children develop before any formal anti-smoking education. Often these beliefs are subconsciously held and are resistant to education. Advertising and Media As with any other type of advertising, advertising by tobacco companies hopes to influence people to smoke. A study published in Journal of Consumer Research by researcher Cornelia Pechmann, concluded that adolescents are influenced and affected by the type of tobacco advertising and media they are exposed too. Although the ways in which tobacco companies can reach the public have been curtailed by legislation, the effects can still be seen by marketing campaigns using cartoon characters, giveaways and free samples

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/77788-factors-influence-people-smoke/#ixzz2Bk7b14U8

Smoking: psychological and social influences

Reviewed by Dr Sheila Bonas, lecturer in health psychology, Coventry
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As more of us become aware of the dangers of smoking, the percentage of smokers in the UK has fallen from around 50 per cent of the population in the 1950s to 25 per cent in 2003. Even with this fall in the number of smokers, it's estimated that cigarettes were responsible for more than 1.2 million deaths in 2000 in the European region of the World Health Organisation. In the UK, smoking is responsible for around one in five deaths. The illnesses caused by smoking extend beyond the well-reported links with cancer, heart disease and respiratory illnesses. Smoking can cause impotence, ulcers and fertility problems and it's doesn't just harm smokers. Passive smoking causes lung cancer and is linked to cot death, glue ear and asthma in children. However, the decline in smoking in the population has levelled off and the percentage of people smoking in the last 10 years seems to have remained at around 25 per cent.

The good news is that about 70 per cent of smokers say they want to quit. Yet success rates for quit attempts are between 10 and 20 per cent. This article looks at some of the psychological and social barriers that smokers face.

The problem starts in childhood

Most smokers first start experimenting with cigarettes in their teens: in the UK only 1 per cent of 11 year olds smoke regularly. By the age of 15, this number has risen to 22 per cent, with girls more likely to smoke than boys. There are many reasons why children start to smoke: Children whose parents smoke are twice as likely to start compared to those with non-smoking parents. A Scottish study of teenage girls found that smoking was part of an image cultivated by the girls who were seen as leaders of their groups. Smoking went along with wearing short skirts, jewellery and make-up. In contrast, a study by the World Health Organisation found that the 11 to 15 year olds who were most likely to be smokers were lonely, had difficulty talking to parents, had problems at school and had started drinking alcohol.

How we learn to smoke

Health psychology looks at the complex array of biological, social and psychological factors that influence our health and illness-related behaviour. Smoking is a biological addiction, with nicotine as addictive as cocaine and heroin. However, there is more to being hooked on cigarettes than the physical addiction to nicotine. When people want to quit, they also have a psychological habit to break. Social learning theory describes how we learn by example from others. We are strongly influenced by our parents, and other people we look up to, such as peers, actors and pop stars. This can lead us to emulate their behaviour and try smoking. There is an almost immediate effect on our brains with those first cigarettes, so we keep smoking to get this reward. Later we learn to associate smoking with other activities such as drinking coffee, going to the pub, etc. We can become conditioned so just the thought of the activity triggers the need for a cigarette, just like Pavlov's dogs learned to drool at the sound of a bell. These psychological associations remain when smokers try to quit. Finally, you learn to keep smoking, because if you try to quit you are punished by withdrawal symptoms - irritability, snappiness, lack of concentration. Having a cigarette gets rid of these symptoms, negatively reinforcing the desire to carry on smoking. Such conditioning keeps you hooked on smoking because the reward when you smoke is instant, whereas it takes years before you become aware of the damage in terms of your health. Similarly, when you try to quit, the 'punishment' of withdrawal symptoms comes quickly, whereas the benefits of better health take longer to realise.

Attitudes to smoking and risk taking

Health promotion campaigns often use warnings and shocking images to try and motivate people to quit smoking. While these adverts are powerful for non-smokers, they may have little effect on people who are more willing to engage in risky behaviour.

Coping with stress

Giving up cigarettes can be very stressful. People who are trying to quit have to put up with cravings, change their habits, and resist the temptation to have or buy cigarettes. If smoking is used as a strategy for coping with other sources of stress, such as work stress, smokers suffer a double blow: their prop for dealing with stress is taken away and their stress levels rise as a result of trying to quit.

Social influences
Peer pressure can be hard for anyone to resist, no matter what your age. Smoking can play an important role in friendships, while offering a cigarette or asking for a light can be ice-breakers to start a conversation. It can create a bond between smokers, for example the huddled groups who smoke outside offices. If your friends smoke, deciding to quit can be awkward because they may see it as an implicit criticism of their habit.

Cultural influences
Over the years television shows and films have effectively built up associations between smoking and glamour, sex and risk-taking. From classic movies with Humphrey Bogart to Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, cultural images involving cigarettes are strong, and generally positive about smoking. In addition, we are still subject to advertising that deliberately promotes smoking and makes positive associations with brands. The tobacco industry denies targeting young people, but the result of sponsoring exciting, risky, macho sports, is that it attracts the attention of young boys. A study found that boys who were fans of motor racing, which is heavily sponsored by the tobacco industry, were more likely to smoke than those who weren't. What these images don't convey are the negatives of smoking, from the yellow stains on your fingers and the stench of your breath, or the long-term serious consequences from smoking.

What are your issues?

There are many psychological and social pressures on smokers, and on those who are trying to quit. But this doesn't mean it's impossible to quit, or that you'll find it difficult. Some people quit first time, some take more attempts, but if you don't try, you can't become one of the 11 million ex-smokers in the UK. Understanding your habit is the first step in overcoming these obstacles - the next is to come up with strategies to tackle them. References
1. Prevalence of cigarette smoking by sex and age: 1974 to 2003: General Household Survey 2003, Office for National Statistics, 2004. 2. Peto, R et al. Mortality from smoking in developed countries 1950-2000 (2nd edition) .

3. Smoking-related behaviour and attitudes, ONS Omnibus Survey, Department of Health, 2003 4. Denscombe M, Smoking cessation among young people. Health Education Journal, 60 (3) 221-231, 2001. 5. Leventhal H, & Cleary P, The smoking problem: a review of the research and theory in behavioral risk reduction. Psychological Bulletin, 88: 370-405, 1980. Based on a text by Dr Sheila Bonas, lecturer in health psychology, Coventry University

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Why people smoke

The most important factors associated with high rates of smoking appear to be linked to socio-economic factors such as:

unemployment, low education, low income, home ownership status, age, and living in an area of socio-economic disadvantage (Winstanley 2008). Other factors include:

Mental Health (stolen generation) Incarceration Other drugs and alcohol Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the most disadvantaged group within Australia and based on this alone are more likely to be smokers (Winstanley 2008). However there are other factors influencing smoking behaviour since even those of higher socio-economic status smoke at a high rate compared to nonIndigenous Australians (ABS 2007).

Impact of colonisation
The process of colonisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and the resulting family separation and loss of land and culture has lead to large differences in socio-economic status between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. These factors together with the impact of racial discrimination increases susceptibility to the stresses that cause high levels of tobacco use.

Factors that influence people to smoke

emotions: feeling stressed, bored, lonely, upset, angry, frustrated or unhappy pleasure: to add to the enjoyment of something, to take time out or as a reward social pressure: to feel part of the crowd if youre not part of the smoking group you are missing out on the best information, non-participation may lead to feelings of alienation; habit: linking smoking with other activities eg having a cup of coffee, talking on the phone, drinking alcohol addiction: to satisfy the craving for nicotine

Additional factors influencing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking are: 'smoking is everywhere': because nearly half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders over the age of 15 smoke cigarettes daily, smoking is seen as an everyday, acceptable or 'normalised' behaviour within communities. Children raised in this environment will often see smoking as just another part of becoming an adult and so the cycle continues. smoking is a lesser evil: smoking is viewed by many as an acceptable alternative to other drugs such as alcohol, cannabis and intravenous drugs to alleviate stress and negative feelings: Smoking is perceived by many to have a calming effect and may also be seen as an enjoyable activity over which people can retain control no matter how difficult other parts of their lives may be. This is particularly relevant within Indigenous communities where control over many aspects of their life may be difficult. An individual's risk of engaging in smoking may also be conditioned by the social and community environment, not just socio-economic characteristics of the individual. Smoking occurs more in disadvantaged areas, and giving up smoking appears to be more difficult for people living in such areas. The effects of area-level deprivation may be related to factors in the physical and social environment such as:

Access to and quality of health education Access to quitting resources living in an environment that is less valued, and provides fewer healthy choices availability of tobacco products local promotional activity by the tobacco industry

Why do some people not smoke?

There is not a lot of research in the past that has looked at why some people do not start smoking. Currently 34% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have never smoked and it would be useful to understand more in planning future programs. Some of the possible reasons that prevent the uptake of smoking in young people include:

they have seen the harmful effects of smoking on other family members they do not enjoy it they do not want to be dependent on cigarettes smoking affects their fitness and health they are too young they could get into trouble We also know that children of non-smokers are less likely to become smokers themselves and that strong non-smoking role models improve a young persons determination not to take up smoking.

Further reading:
CEITC Just the facts information sheet Tobacco in Australia: Facts and Issues, Chapter 8 - Tobacco use among Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders http://www.ceitc.org.au/why-people-smoke Foreign Studies

Smoking rates

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are nearly three times as likely as the non-Indigen population to be daily smokers. Generally Indigenous people:

take up smoking at an earlier age; smoke for longer; and make fewer quitting attempts than the broader Australian population.

Some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking rate facts:

Table 1

Table 2

Source: The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, October 2010 (ABS 010)

How Many?

Australia has some of the lowest rates of smoking in the world Generally, smoking rates for Australia have declined over recent years from 34% in 1980 (Winstanley and White 2008) to16.6% in 2007 being daily smokers (AIHW 2007). Indigenous people are more than twice as likely to smoke than other Australians

In 2008 nearly half (45%) of Indigenous Australians over the age of 15 smoked cigarettes daily (ABS 2010). Recently there has been a slight drop in smoking rates for Indigenous people After many years of no change in smoking rates we are beginning to see a slight drop in the number of Indigenous people who smoke. Between 2002 and 2008 smoking rates for Indigenous people aged 15 years and over have dropped from 49% to 45% (ABS 2010). Indigenous Australians make fewer quitting attempts and are less successful at quitting than other Australian Smokers (Ivers 2001; AIHW 2004) In 2008, nearly two in three (62%) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander current daily smokers had attempted to quit or reduce their smoking in the previous 12 months (ABS 2010). This is less than for other Australians of which 81% had attempted to quit in the preceding 12 months (Ellerman, Ford et al. 2008). Most Indigenous households are smoking households. In 2004-2005, 62% of households with Indigenous residents had a least one regular smoker (ABS 2007). Smoking and Age

Indigenous smoking rates are at least twice that of non-Indigenous rates for both men and women across all age groups Smoking rates are higher in the younger age groups and lower in the over 55 age group for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations (ABS 2010). More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people take up smoking younger than other Australians The rate of uptake of smoking is earlier (Ellerman, Ford et al. 2008) and much higher among Indigenous children, with the decision to smoke usually taken between the ages of 12-16. One in ten Indigenous current or ex smokers began smoking before 13 years of age (ABS 2007). Smoking rates for Indigenous 15-24 year olds in 2008 were 38.7% for males and 39.7% for females and for nonIndigenous 15-24 year olds were 15.7% for males and 13.9% for females. See Table 1 & 2 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's smoking rates are highest during their child bearing years For both men and women, the highest levels of smokers are for those aged 2544 years (ABS 2010). This is particularly significant for women since this is the age when women are having their children. See Table 1 & 2.

Smoking and Location

Generally smoking rates are higher for Indigenous people living in remote areas than those living in major cities (53% compared to 42%) (ABS 2010). Smoking rates can vary considerably from community to community. Studies have found that in some regions the prevalence of tobacco use for men is as low as 39% in Alice Springs and as high as 80% in Bourke and for women as low as 17% in Tennant Creek and as high as 69% in the Ballarat region (Winstanley 2008). Smoking and Gender

Smoking rates are similar for both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women In 2008 46% of Indigenous men and 43% of Indigenous women smoked daily (ABS 2010). Smoking and Pregnancy

Studies that have reported on smoking rates among pregnant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women show rates at least as high as those among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community generally. This is much higher than for non-Indigenous women (15%) (ABS 2010; Winstanley 2008). Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight. Smoking rates by state Generally Indigenous smoking rates are much the same from state to state

History
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples suffer disproportionately to the broader Australian population from tobacco related health conditions. The high prevalence and normalisation of tobacco use is at least partially attributable to the process of colonisation, and the subsequent low socioeconomic status of Indigenous Australians.

Aboriginal people chewed the dry leaves of pituri (Duboisia hopwoodii) and native tobacco such as Nicotania gossei prior to contact with non-Aboriginal people (Low 1987). Some Aboriginal people continue to use pituri and native tobaccos. Macassan fishermen and trepangers (sea cucumber gatherers) introduced tobacco into northern Australia approximately 400 years ago (MacKnight 1976). People in Northern Australia continue to use Macassan style pipes and tobacco still plays a role in traditional ceremonies. Modern tobacco was introduced to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people after colonisation and

was used as a means of bargaining and trade. In the decades that followed and as Indigenous people were displaced onto church, government or private missions, tobacco was an important part of rations provided in exchange for work and to reward co-operation (Rowse 1998). Smoking has become normalised in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. While smoking is not a cultural practice as such, it has become a part of most Indigenous peoples daily experience given that nearly half of adults currently smoke. Additionally Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have a strong tradition of sharing resources and the sharing of cigarettes reinforces smoking (Johnston and Thomas 2008). A comparison of other Indigenous people worldwide, particularly those who have been colonised (for example New Zealand Maori, Native Canadians, and Native Americans), indicates that the prevalence of tobacco use is higher among these population groups than for non-Indigenous people in these countries (CEITC 2010).

Source: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, 2004-2005 (ABS 2006a)

However regional surveys have found that the smoking rates can vary considerably. For example:

Wilcannia, New South Wales - in the late 1980s, 71% of Indigenous males and 76% of Indigenous females reported smoking (Stephenson and Lenz 1990).

Bourke, New South Wales - in the early 1970s, 87% of Indigenous males and 71% of Indigenous females reported smoking (Kamien 1978). Northern Territory - in 1987-1988, 56% of Indigenous people (71% of males and 43% of females) smoked and, of the 44% who did not smoke, 12% had smoked in the past (Watson, Fleming et al. 1988). Adelaide , South Australia - in 1989, 78% of Indigenous males and 64% of Indigenous females reported smoking (Lake 1989). Country Victoria - in 1992, 67% of Indigenous males and 63% of Indigenous females reported smoking (Guest, O'Dea et al. 1992). Southern Western Australia - in 1992, 60% of Indigenous people aged between 15 and 29 years smoked, and nearly half of the older Indigenous people also smoked (Knowles and Woods 1993)

Further information
Download 'Just the Facts' a fact sheet about tobacco use among Indigenous Australians