Social acceptance ‘more important than health’ to teen smokers

Teenagers think smoking plays an important role in being accepted by their peers and that being socially accepted is more important than their health, according to a new report. ‘The Voice of Young People – A Report on Teenagers’ Attitudes to Smoking’ incorporates the results of qualitative research conducted with Irish teenagers aged 16 – 18 years in relation to their smoking habits and attitudes to health, smoking and smoking cessation.
The research also explores how teenagers respond to anti-smoking advertising and examines the type of anti-smoking advertising that they view to be effective and relevant. All of those participating in the research were smokers, purchasing their own cigarettes.

The majority of teenagers participating in the research had started smoking as young as 12 or 13 years of age. None of them considered their lifestyles to be healthy, with ‘smoking too much, drinking too much and eating too much junk food’ cited as reasons for their unhealthy lifestyles. When asked what makes a healthy lifestyle, healthy diet and regular exercise were considered important with none of them considering not smoking as a way of staying healthy.
The move from primary to secondary school was revealed as a trigger point for many teenagers to start smoking, with teenagers saying they used cigarettes as a coping mechanism to manage everyday stress. Alcohol consumption in early teenage years and parents who smoke were found to act as influential factors amongst the teenagers, with ease of access to cigarettes through retailers also acting as an encouragement. Peer pressure, curiosity and being sophisticated or ‘cool’, were found to play a part in influencing them to try their first cigarette.
The Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) estimates that 16% of Irish people aged 12 to 17 smoke, with 28% of 16 to 17-year-olds currently smoking. Intervention in the teenage years is critical in the prevention of smoking. Irish research demonstrates that 78% of smokers start before the age of 18, with over half starting by the age of 15. (1).
Speaking at the launch Dr. Angie Brown, Chair, Ash Ireland and Consultant Cardiologist, commented; “Irish teenage smoking continues to pose a real threat to the lives of young people with short-term consequences on health, including respiratory and non-respiratory effects, addiction to nicotine and the associated risk of other drug use, not too mention the long term consequences, such as cancer and heart disease, among others. This Report uncovers interesting findings around teenager’s attitudes to smoking and the reason’s why they start in the first place, hugely important in moving forward to tackle this serious issue.”
Teenagers reported a tendency to smoke ‘more cigarettes’ at the weekend than during the week and that alcohol was a key factor in why they smoked more at the weekend. Both cigarettes and alcohol were regarded as an important aspect of teenagers’ socialising. Alcohol in combination with peer pressure also encouraged a loss of inhibition, thus prompting experimentation with tobacco. A number of participants experience negative health symptoms as a result of smoking, generally feeling ‘less fit’. Some felt an inability to play sports with the same level of energy as before, and others said they felt breathless when walking. Other negative health effects mentioned since starting smoking were a morning cough, coughing when exercising and severe throat and chest infections. Most ignore these effects of smoking or accept them as common ‘side effects’. Approximately 20-30% of all teenagers interviewed reported trying at some point in the past to quit smoking. However, all attempts by teenagers to date to give up smoking were unsuccessful. The majority were of the view that they will at some point give up the habit.
Participants reported receiving advice on living healthily in their schools, with the advice pertaining to diet and exercise and the health consequences of ‘smoking and drinking’. They also reported receiving parental advice about the detrimental effects of smoking and alcohol consumption, which they generally expressed limited interest in. This limited interest appeared to be a result of the delayed onset of the health consequences of smoking, and a perceived low risk from smoking in the short to medium term.
Joe Canning, Galway Hurler, who attended the report launch, commented: “Smoking inhibits your breathing and holds you back from achieving your full potential, whatever your chosen sport may be. By choosing not to smoke, you can maintain good health and look after your body. Everyone, especially people interested in sport, should keep that in mind.”
‘The Voice of Young People’ explored teenager’s attitudes to anti-smoking advertising and found that ads that employed visually arresting images to depict the health consequences of smoking, were most effective. In particular, teenagers engaged most with the ads that showed the effects of smoking on one’s physical appearance. The fear of social embarrassment arising from any potential disfigurement from smoking caused teenagers considerable discomfort.
Mr. David Gallagher, Managing Director, Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, commented; “Smoking behaviour is usually established during teenage years, with most adult smokers becoming addicted to nicotine during adolescence. As a teenager making the decision not to start smoking could be one of the most important health decisions a young person can make. We hope this report lends itself to uncover new ways of intercepting smoking in teenagers, in addition to providing us with valuable suggestions as to how smoking prevention and cessation could be successfully addressed in this age group. We can all play a part in educating children and teenagers on the danger of smoking and in discouraging them from starting to smoke in the first place and making healthier choices.”