Contributing Factors to Tobacco Use

Contributing factors to tobacco use:

The decision to use and continue to use tobacco depends on many factors, including personal factors and social factors.

1. Personal factors:

• Knowledge and belief:

There is a lack of awareness on the role of tobacco-related knowledge in smoking uptake. Although there are quite a lot of information on television, newspaper or Internet, there is not many systematic health-education programs about smoking. Many of them do not believe that smoking will affect them personally or lead to health risks. Even some smokers are aware of their increased risk of disease but significantly underestimate the magnitude of this risk. They know that smoking is bad but they convince themselves that it is not as terrible as people say. In addition, people’ overestimation of their ability to quit are also the reason for the initiation of smoking. They think that they can control and quit whenever they want; however, in fact, scientists estimate that cigarettes are more addictive than cocaine, heroin, or alcohol, and quitting smoking is one of the most difficult task when people start using it^[1].

• Self-image:

Some people may smoke to enhance their self-esteem by improving their external image. They may feel cooler, tougher, more mature, or sexually attractive. Teen who smoke feel like they have reached adulthood and ready to take the future in their own hand. For women, it is the feeling of being sophisticated, sociable, and feminine^[2]. Also, people are seduced by the glamorization of smoking in the movies. Researchers find that smoking in movies is associated with youthful vigor, good looks, and professional acceptance^[3]. The positive depictions of smoking are likely to affect people to try it out.

• Depression:

Smoking is also considered as a means of coping with stress, anxiety, depression, and boredom. Many smoke in response to negative life experience. It is thought that nicotine in tobacco stimulates the release of the chemical dopamine in the brain and trigger positive feelings. Some people say they love to smoke as smoking gives them pleasure, relaxed or energy while going through a hard time^[4].

2. Social factors:

• Parental influence:

Many studies has found significant associations between parent smoking and adolescent smoking. Parents always serve as models for children. When they smoke, they facilitate their children’s smoking by giving them access to cigarettes and increasing the perception that smoking is approved in the home.