NCJ Number
191942
Journal
Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 36 Issue: 11 Dated: 2001 Pages: 1519-1542
Date Published
2001
Length
24 pages
Annotation
A study of students in Switzerland examined behaviors and attitudes toward cigarette smoking over a 3-year period.
Abstract
A survey on cigarette smoking of a sample of 406 students aged 16 and 17 from a Swiss city was carried out in 1995, and the sample was reinvestigated in 1998. The survey covered gender, age, school attendance (vocational or other), negative feelings, perception of danger, parental smoking, and reasons for smoking or not smoking at Time 1. Time 2 measures included stages-of-change in smoking cessation and nicotine addiction. Negative feelings at ages 16 and 17 were predictive of nicotine addiction at ages 19 and 20, and highly predictive for starting smoking within this period. Frequent smoking and relaxation as a reason for smoking was more likely for sustained smokers than for quitters. Results suggest that if adolescents begin to smoke in order to cope with negative feelings, they continue to do so and increase their smoking. Cessation can probably be promoted by advice to reduce the frequency of smoking. Further research is needed about the reduction of smoking as a possible step towards cessation or as an alternative to cessation. Tables, references