Adolescents reasons for smoking

Abstract

Despite all preventive efforts, the prevalence of smoking among adolescents is not declining. The latter has raised important questions about influences and reasons that lead adolescents to initiate and continue smoking. This led the student researcher to carry out a small scale study with the aim of exploring the reasons why adolescents smoke. The study was conducted using a survey style, descriptive, cross-sectional approach. A questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 30 adolescents attending G.F. Abela Junior College, who considered themselves as smokers at the time of the study. Quantitative data as well as some qualitative data was obtained. Participants' response showed that the majority of adolescents start smoking early in the adolescent phase. The main reasons for starting to smoke included curiosity and peer pressure. On the other hand, the main reasons for continuing to smoke included stress, peer pressure and craving and addiction to smoking. Significantly more females than males reported craving and addiction as a reason for keeping the smoking habit. 21 participants (70%) stated that they wish to quit smoking once and for all. Reasons for wishing to quit included negative health effects and financial problems associated with buying cigarettes. Family influence was the least potential reason both for initiating and continuing to smoke. The family was also the least common source of information on smoking for adolescents. From these findings, recommendations to reduce adolescent smoking and for further research were drawn.