Smoking Factors

Smoking cigarettes and chewing tobacco has become a very popular trend among many Americans and individuals throughout our society. Tobacco, however, dates back many centuries, since the early 1600's. In fact, tobacco was believed to have been the cure for all illnesses. Tobacco was used in those times strictly for medicinal purposes only. Overall tobacco has been proven not as a medicinal remedy, but as an addicting and extremely harmful stimulant. As stated in a book by Darryl S. Inaba, " Tobacco is a prime example of the addiction process. In fact eighty percent of cigarette smokers know tobacco causes cancer, yet they still smoke." (137) Throughout history, smoking has been associated with negative traits and has been heavily regulated against. England in the 1600's believed tobacco was as bad as drunkenness and punishable by death. In the past and even today there is so much negativity affiliated with smoking. Knowing all the negative aspects regarding tobacco use, it is difficult to understanding why so many individuals continue to smoke. Peter Jacobson, Et. al describes adolescents views toward smoking tobacco in his book Combating Teen Smoking,

Smoking is cool. Smoking is glamorous. Addicted to smoking? Not me. I can quit anytime I want. Health hazards of smoking? Not a problem, I'll quit long before it harms me. And beside I'll be so old and bald by the it won't even matter anyway.( 418)

Everyday more and more people begin to smoke or become habitual smokers. Now this may very well be ignorance or avoidance, and lack of concern over the health factors associated with smoking. Psychosocial traits are the suggested reasons for the initiation of smoking. Psychosocial elements consist of many variables such as personality, gender, family and social peer influences, socioeconomic status, and mass media. The eternal question to be found by many researchers is why do people begin to smoke? This is a topic that has been widely reviewed by many with many answers and variables to consider. Therefore, given all the and known dangers of smoking and chewing tobacco, yet it has become a popular trend among many individuals around the world.

Presently, the initiation of tobacco use is believed to have many psychosocial elements. There are many theories and perspectives to consider when evaluating the psychosocial factors concerning chronic tobacco use. These reasons for tobacco use are mostly unconscious and relatively unknown to most individuals who use tobacco. As reported by Viscusi, an achieved psychologist who states that " Studying the determinants of cigarette smoking is fundamentally a problem for multivariate analysis" (138). According to Viscusi studying the use of tobacco is complex and quite difficult to pin point. Basically, he states that even though knowing the psychosocial elements that encourage one to become a smoker, there are still many variables to factor when defining the eternal question.

A major factor to consider is the influence of family and social peer pressure to smoke. Many Scholars consider this to be the single most important factor among adolescents considering that their minds are open to suggestion at that age. This statement is best supported by Jack Gottsegan in his book Tobacco, where he states that " Adolescents are most vulnerable to peer pressure by older siblings, and friends" (17). Many studies by the Surgeon General and other researchers indicate that between the ages of eleven through seventeen adolescents are most susceptible to experiment with tobacco. Peter Taylor reports that " kids of smokers (Ð... pack per day) were twice as likely to smoke of those of nonsmokers" (355). This statistic is very intriguing considering that it only involves parental influence. This demonstrates the correlation of family influence on adolescents and encourages them to smoke. Granted, each individual is responsible for their own decision, but if a person is continuously surrounded by tobacco surely it would be much easier to begin smoking. One can only imagine the influence older siblings, cousins, and close friends can have on any individual. Many individuals have children or are older siblings and would understand how much influence family and friends would have on each person. Having witnessed first hand what influence I had on my younger brother watching him mimic and try to be just like me in every way possible. Behavioral risk factors for tobacco use include levels of self-image and self-esteem than their peers.

One area to consider with high school students is how many close friends the individual has that smokes, this can ultimately lead to extreme peer pressure. During the adolescent years, teens become very attached and influenced by their so called "Best Friends". Throughout these years adolescents' become the most important thing in their life aside from family and the up coming weekend. Most of these individuals would do what their friends do simply to fit in and be accepted. During grade school friends are the most prized possession, to be cool and popular one would do what is necessary to become apart of the group. An adolescent without friends is considered invisible, ridiculed, and is deemed an outcast. " To impress ones social peers the limits or boundaries are exponential" (Gottsegan 42). Adolescent will go to great lengths to become popular and become accepted among peers. The perceptions of adolescents that tobacco use is normative, peers' and siblings' for the use and approval. Therefore, one can infer that the use of tobacco may not seem as immanent a threat, rather a tool used for acceptance. For this very reason adolescents begin to smoke, knowing full well the consequences; acceptance outweighs any risk of ones' health.

Another perspective asses to a by Matarazzo, a well respected psychologist, explains the psychosocial and related risks of smokers and nonsmokers. His theories suggest that an individuals personality plays a significant role in tobacco consumption. He believes that the extraversion and neuroticism areas of an individuals personality influence the initiation of tobacco use. (24)

A typical extravert craves excitement, is very outgoing, enjoys parties, can be aggressive and is almost a carefree individual. The neurotic individual is nearly the opposite; the neuroticism equates to nervousness, distress, and often has much anxiety and stress in their life. "[...] for the most part smokers have high neurotic or extraversion scores" (Matarazzo 62). The amount of tobacco consumed is directly related to the score of extraverted and neurotic individuals. Many psychologist agree that the difference in personality between the two is the reason they become habitual smokers. As stated by Prabhat