What prevents young adolescents from smoking? Self-reported motives of 12-15-year-old non-smokers

Sven Schneider, Sabine Loeber, Maria Janßen, Silke Roehrig and Denise Solle

Health Policy, 2010, vol. 95, issue 1, 36-40

Abstract: Objectives This study investigated the real motives of German non-smokers.Methods In the German SToP ("Sources of Tobacco for Pupils") Study 707 non-smoking pupils were asked to write down their motives for being non-smokers. A total of 1324 partially very elaborate free text statements (mean/range: 1.9/1-7 distinguishable motives) were evaluated in a qualitative content analysis.Results The most important and frequently mentioned motives for not smoking were health-related arguments (78.1%). Except for cancer significant main health risks of tobacco consumption like cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases or COPD were hardly perceived. Further important reasons were an aesthetic aversion (38.6%), missing perception of a benefit (25.2%), and economic motives (20.8%). Girls and pupils from academic high schools named aesthetic motives significantly more often than boys and pupils from secondary schools respectively. A historical comparison shows that the motive "lacking benefit" reached a higher rank in our study than in the 1990s.Conclusions When non-smokers are asked directly, extrinsic reasons (restrictions, smoking bans) do not seem to be relevant for them. Reasons concerning health, good physical shape, and beauty should be a central argument in the medical practise with young smokers.

Keywords: Smoking; cessation; Motivation; Adolescent; Tobacco; control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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