Tobacco.org

Understanding teen attitudes critical to quit message 

Teen attitudes to smoking need to be re-examined if anti-smoking health campaigns are to be effective, according to Hunter researchers.

Researchers from the Centre for Health Research and Psycho-oncology (CHeRP) have reviewed 78 international studies, drawing some important conclusions about adolescent smoking and peer pressure, sales-to-minor laws, and young people's views on nicotine addiction. Flora Tzelepis from CHeRP said the review concentrated on information from focus groups and interviews with young people.

"In relation to peer pressure, teenagers rarely identify bullying or teasing as coercive factors that lead to smoking," Ms Tzelepis said. "The desire to fit in with the group is far more influential and pervasive and this is what needs to be tackled in education programs rather than the simplistic 'Just say no' type of message.

Jump to full article »