Growing Up Tobacco Free Preventing Nicotine Addiction in Children and Youths (1994) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
3 SOCIAL NORMS AND THE ACCEPTABILITY OF TOBACCO USE
3 SOCIAL NORMS AND THE ACCEPTABILITY OF TOBACCO USE
Pages 71-102
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 71... ...
Youths are led to believe that tobacco consumption is a social norm among attractive, vital, successful people who seek to express their individuality, who enjoy life, and who are socially secure. Several factors are involved in maintaining this impression among youths and in fostering tobacco use as a social norm at a time when public health messages are calling attention to the serious health risks associated with tobacco consumption.
|
From page 72... ...
At the same time, various environmental or situational cues, such as an ashtray, or an empty cigarette pack, or a party, not only can suggest acceptability but can also Stimulate physiological responses that reinforce the addiction to nicotine.) Hence, whereas the.addictive power of nicotine drives a person to use tobacco regularly and to maintain that regular use, it is~the power of these perceived social norms that~persuades children and youths to experiment with and initiate use of tobacco.
|
From page 73... ...
What >~ thie Torrent norms regarding tobacco use? How do social norms influence, tour make children and youths susceptible to adopting, tobacco' used Hail ban actions by parents, social groups, and communities set and reinforce social norms and thereby prevent the initiation of tobacco use by children and youths?
|
From page 74... ...
Knowing what the trends are for specific groups is important in determining what the social norms are perceived to be, and what factors may reinforce tobacco use, so that counter-strategies can be developed and implemented. For example, important racial/ethnic differences in cigarette smoking have become apparent among high school seniors during the .........................
|
From page 75... ...
Since 1981, however, a considerable divergence has emerged: smoking rates have declined very little for non-Hispanic white and Hispanic youths, but the rates for African-American youths have continued to decline steadily. As a result, in 1992, the smoking rates for African-American students were about one-fifth to one-third of those for white students; specifically, for African-American high school seniors, the prevalence of daily cigarette smoking reported is 4%, whereas for non-Hispanic whites it is 21%.~4 Currently, there is no explanation for this difference.
|
From page 76... ...
as civilians of that age group, but that one year :later the same group of naval recruits had a Smoking rate of 41%.23 The reasons given for the smoking initiation were '~curiosity" and "friends smoking.? ' The researchers conclude that social factors may have a fairly strong influence on smoking behavior of new Navy personnel, especially given that the Navy Encourages cohesiveness and uniformity.
|
From page 77... ...
Second'.l=.~-ause the aggregate effects of tobacco-related health consequences.affect,-ever..yone, society as awhole has an interest in discouraging tobacco-use and in- $~.pporti.~g the efforts.of people who are trying to stop using tobacco. This means.
|
From page 78... ...
Presson, Laurie Chassin, Eric Corty, and Richard Olshavsky. "The False Consensus Effect in Estimates of Smoking Prevalence: Underlying Mechanisms." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 9:2 (1983)
|
From page 79... ...
"Adolescent Nonsmokers, Triers, and Regular Smokers' Estimates of Cigarette Smoking Prevalence: When Do Overestimations Occur and by Whom? " Journal of Applied Psychology 18~7)
|
From page 80... ...
The researchers concluded that "the provision of accurate norms regarding regular smoking by adolescents and adults might be extremely beneficial to prevention efforts."33 In fact, overestimating smoking prevalence is one of the strongest predictors of smoking initiation.34 nificantly associated with future onset ot smoking Spreading~a False Impression: The Ubiquitous Pro-Tobacco l\Iessage The misperception of youths that the large majority of peers and adults use tobacco may well derive from the near-constant exposure youths experience to pro-tobacco messages and images, which make tobacco use seem common. (See chapter 4 on advertising for a full discussion.)
|
From page 81... ...
Youths attend cultural events, such as music concerts, and sporting events, such as rodeos and car racing, either sponsored by the tobacco industry or where billboards, scoreboards, or contestants display tobacco logos. Furthermore, tobacco products are displayed in many stores frequented by youths and are easily purchased by youths.
|
From page 82... ...
Reynolds in 1987 totalled $4.3 million.40 The ubiquity of the pro-tobacco message is an important influence on youths' desire to experiment with and to continue using tobacco products. The pro-tobacco environment leads youths to misperceive tobacco use as the public norm and to interfere with youths' perception of the serious, mortal consequences of tobacco use.
|
From page 83... ...
Mass-media messages were included in early smoking prevention efforts of the federal government and voluntary health organizations. The effectiveness of counter-smoking advertising was demonstrated from 1967 to 1970, soon after the release of the landmark surgeon general's report on smoking but during a time when the tobacco industry still aired pro-smoking advertisements.
|
From page 84... ...
Parental disapproval toward smoking was shown to indirectly predict low levels of use in a study that investigated parental actions toward smoking among 10- to 12-yearolds.47 Comparison of parental strictness toward smoking among different age groups indicates that 14- to 16-year-olds are less likely to begin smoking if they perceive that parents disapprove.48 In a survey of teens in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, parental disapproval was an important reason that teens did not smoke for 45% of eighth graders, 33% of tenth graders, and 27% of twelfth graders. For teens in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, the percentages were even higher 62% of eighth graders, 60% of tenth graders, and 48% of twelfth graders.
|
From page 85... ...
Thus, the girls' erroneous perception that the majority of people smoke must be deriving from sources other than immediate friends and families.55 Data from the Monitoring the Future Study show that peer disapproval of cigarette smoking is rather high: in 1993 71% of high school seniors and 80% of eighth graders said that they disapprove of people who smoke a pack of cigarettes a day; 74% of tenth graders and 77% of eighth graders disapprove of using smokeless tobacco regularly.56 Studies of adolescent decision-making do not provide clear-cut evidence of the role of peer influence on risk-taking. In a review of the empirical evidence on risk-taking and decision-making in adolescence, Furby and Beyth-Marom reported mixed results about peer influence on risky behaviors: In sum, adolescents may care very much what their peers think of them, but that apparently does not necessarily mean that their decisions about engaging in risky behaviors are heavily influenced by peers.
|
From page 86... ...
The school environment, as a social organization, prescribes social norms, whether stated directly in school policies, implied in the expectations and behavior of teachers, or promoted by peer groups. The school therefore offers an important opportunity for promoting the tobacco-free norm, for countering pro-tobacco messages, and for creating a health-promoting environment in general.
|
From page 87... ...
had comprehensive tobacco-free policies. The Colorado School Health Council, a state constituent of the American School Health Association, in response to their concern, developed the Colorado Tobacco-Free Schools and Communities Project.
|
From page 88... ...
Restrictions on smoking in public places state and reinforce the norm that tobacco use is not acceptable, and create a social climate where not using tobacco is considered normal.68 Social policy thereby communicates the message that tobacco use causes health problems for everyone exposed to it, even to environmental tobacco smoke. The restrictions also reduce the number of opportunities to use tobacco; thus, tobacco use is not only a behavior disapproved by society but also an inconvenient behavior.
|
From page 89... ...
A study in California of the relationship between workplace smoking policies and smoking prevalence and cigarette consumption found that employees in smoke-free workplaces have a lower smoking prevalence and, among continuing smokers, lower cigarette consumption than individuals working where smoking is permitted. The researchers estimate that cigarette consumption among employees indoors is 21% below that which would occur if there were no smoking restrictions in California workplaces.78 In a recent Gallup poll, 23% of smokers reported bans on smoking in the workplace as a major reason for wanting to quit
|
From page 90... ...
For example, a technical institution in Minnesota implemented a smoking prevention project because women attending technical institutes often enroll in training programs for occupations with traditionally high smoking rates, at a time when no-smoking policies are increasingly being adapted in the workplace. Entitled "Smoking Doesn't Work," the program used employability as the central theme in schoolwide events and classroom activities.
|
From page 91... ...
The company said its decision was based, in part, on a year-long customer survey which found that 70% of smokers and 84% of nonsmokers found smoking in fast-food restaurants to be offensive.83 As of March 1994, one-third of the members of the National Council of Chain Restaurants had banned smoking, and the council endorsed a proposed federal bill that would ban smoking in restaurants. Though fast-food companies are inclined to go smoke free, apparently a concern holding them back is that of diminished sales, a concern that is unwarranted.
|
From page 92... ...
At least half of the 50 states restrict smoking in gymnasiums and arenas as part of their clean indoor air legislation.86 A Current Population Survey survey of youths asked if they thought that smoking should be allowed in indoor sporting events; 65% replied "not at all," and 28.6% replied "to allow in some areas."87 Community and Youth Organizations One of the highest rates of tobacco use is among youths who have dropped out of high school; they are of course the least likely group to be reached through school programs. It might be possible to reach some of these youths through their communities, that is, through organizations or events sponsored by community groups.
|
From page 93... ...
According to 68% of the respondents, public awareness in their community of the issues surrounding children's use of tobacco is less than that for other children's issues; 45% feel that there is little or no media coverage devoted to this topic. The Join Together Project, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is a national resource for information and technical assistance to coalitions of community organizations that combat tobacco, alcohol, and other drug abuse.
|
From page 94... ...
As a major component of the tobacco control program, the state health department funds 61 local coalitions supported by local health departments, 10 regional coalitions staffed by administrative agencies, and 4 ethnic networks.9i Other combined local and national efforts are being implemented by voluntary health organizations and by health and health professionals' organizations. For example, tobacco control is an important issue for the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Association, and the American Lung Association.
|
From page 95... ...
Special tobacco editions of the Journal of the American Medical Association are important sources of research and draw media attention to tobacco issues. The AMA serves as the administrative agency for the $10 million Robert Wood Johnson Foundation SmokeLess States program.
|
From page 96... ...
Across the nation, youths themselves are becoming involved and carrying the issue forward. Involving youths in working on tobacco control efforts has been a way to empower them and to increase youth awareness of tobacco issues.
|
From page 97... ...
The Committee recommends that: 1. Public education programs and messages should be increased and implemented on a continuous basis to (at inform the public about the hazards of tobacco use and of environmental tobacco smoke and (b)
|
From page 98... ...
"Cigarette Smoking Among Adults United States, 1992." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 43:19 (20 May 1994)
|
From page 99... ...
"Smokeless Tobacco Use in Rural Alaska." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 36:10 (20 Mar.
|
From page 100... ...
Flay. "Adolescent Nonsmokers, Triers, and Regular Smokers' Estimates of Cigarette Smoking Prevalence: When Do Overestimations Occur and by Whom?
|
From page 101... ...
Murray, and Knut-Inge Klepp. "Predictors of Adolescent Smoking and Implications for Prevention." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 36:4S (1987)
|
From page 102... ...
"'Smoking Doesn't Work:' A Smoking Prevention Project for Women Attending a Technical Institute." Journal of School Health 62:2 (1992)
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.