“It’s like an addiction first thing… afterwards it's like a habit”: daily smoking behaviour among people living in areas of deprivation
Section snippets
Background
British research has established a strong and increasing relationship between cigarette smoking and social disadvantage (Jarvis, 1997; Graham, 1993; Marsh & McKay, 1994; Dorset & Marsh, 1998). This work has identified a large and persistent gap between occupational groups, with smokers over-represented among the unskilled manual groups (Bridgewood et al., 2000). In Scotland, the relationship between smoking and disadvantage is particularly marked. The 1998 Scottish Health Survey indicated that
Findings
The two research areas were highly disadvantaged in terms of the material environment, incidence of social problems, low levels of services and poor amenities. There were very few shops and pubs and the state of parkland and other public areas were very poor. Many flats and houses were unoccupied and burnt out. A large amount of redevelopment work was ongoing during the fieldwork period, with derelict blocks being demolished and rebuilt.
Impressions of area deprivation and the stresses it placed
Discussion
The smokers in this study used the concepts of addiction and habit in a sophisticated way to describe distinct aspects of their smoking behaviour. Although the majority of respondents perceived themselves as being addicted to smoking, only some cigarettes were seen as being smoked in order to satisfy symptoms of addiction. Those cigarettes smoked in response to cravings, or in order to avoid other symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, were ascribed to addiction and differentiated from those smoked
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the respondents who participated in this study. We are especially grateful to the GPs who assisted us, Drs. Penny Watson, Mandy Allison and Carl Bickler, without whom the research could not have been completed. Gratitude is also expressed to Ruth Scott for her secretarial support. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding body. The research was funded by the Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Executive
References (25)
Women's smoking and family health
Social Science & Medicine
(1987)- et al.
Tobacco abstinence, smoking cues and the reinforcing value of smoking
Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behaviour
(1994) - et al.
Gender differences in the pharmacology of nicotine addiction
Addiction Biology
(1998) - et al.
Living in Britain 1998
(2000) - et al.
Deprivation and health in Scotland
(1991) - et al.
The health trapPoverty, smoking and lone parenthood
(1998) - Gaunt-Richardson, P., Amos, A., Howie, G., McKie, L., & Moore, M. (1999). Women, low income and smoking-breaking down...
When life's a drag
(1993)- et al.
Patterns and predictors of tobacco consumption among women
Health Education Research
(1999) - et al.
Cigarettes and addiction
British Medical Journal
(1995)
Social patterning of individual health behavioursThe case of cigarette smoking
Cited by (86)
“I got a little addiction”: Adolescent and young adult cigarillo users’ self-perceptions of addiction
2022, Drug and Alcohol DependenceCitation Excerpt :Cigarette smokers who do not self-identify as having an addiction often label their use as a habit (Rothwell and Lamarque, 2011). Those who endorse having a habit but not an addiction also have a perceived ability to control use and quit (Amos et al., 2006; Bancroft et al., 2003). Additionally, those who do not feel addicted are more likely to report that they would not use cessation services or quit aids (Amos et al., 2006).
Momentary smoking context as a mediator of the relationship between SES and smoking
2018, Addictive BehaviorsA typology of vaping: Identifying differing beliefs, motivations for use, identity and political interest amongst e-cigarette users
2017, International Journal of Drug PolicyIs It Safe to Vape? Analyzing Online Forums Discussing E-Cigarette Use during Pregnancy
2017, Women's Health Issues