5.17 Factors influencing uptake of smoking later in life
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Although most smoking behaviour is 'seeded' during the early teenage years, some individuals begin smoking subsequently.
The later teenage years are associated with major life changes such as finishing school, leaving home, gaining greater mobility through learning to drive, changing peer groups, entering the workforce, and starting higher education. For some young adults these transitions also signify a period of vulnerability, where feelings of stress, insecurity and uncertainty may surface, along with new social pressures. These transitions mark a period of major influence on smoking behaviour.33, 180 The susceptible teenage non-smoker may start to experiment with cigarettes; occasional smokers may become established smokers; and established smokers may increase their daily consumption levels.181
Australian research from the early 1990s found that just over a third of smokers began regular smoking at school (35%), followed by in their first job (27%), and between leaving school and starting work or going to college (14%).182 Research from the United States has variously estimated that about 10%183 to 20%184 of US college students who smoke, begin smoking at college. Canadian research has estimated that between 27%?30% of smokers in post-secondary education programs begin smoking at about the time that they enter university or college.185
A number of risk factors have been identified for uptake of smoking in young adults, including going to bars and clubs where smoking is permitted and not living in a smokefree home.186 An Australian study examining changes in smoking behaviour among young women has shown that uptake of smoking is associated with leaving home, binge drinking and use of illicit drugs. Women who were married, or became married, were less likely to take up smoking.180 Exposure to trauma (such as interpersonal violence or unwanted sexual contact) in early adulthood is also associated with uptake of smoking.49
Uptake of smoking after leaving secondary school is also more likely to occur among students who are younger than the rest of their cohort, who have prior smoking experience, who have expressed an intention to smoke, and who have performed less well at school.187 In the tertiary education setting, smokers are more likely to rate social activities over academic or sporting achievement, to have achieved lower academic grades, and not to follow religious beliefs.188, 189 Taking up employment in an area with a strong culture of smoking, such as in the US military, is also associated with initiation of smoking.190, 191
Studies of smoking patterns have generally shown that young adults have the highest rates of smoking in Australia (Chapter 1, Section 1.4). The most recent National Drug Strategy Household Survey shows that prevalence in daily smoking trebles between the teenage years (14-19) and the next oldest cohort, aged from 20-29. A further 5% of men and women aged between 20-29 are occasional smokers (using tobacco weekly, or less often than weekly),192 a higher rate than in any other age-group. This is likely to suggest a connection between smoking behaviour and specific social settings, and also signals a pool of susceptible smokers.
The strategic importance of this target group to the tobacco industry makes them a logical focus of attention; and because teenagers regard young adults as role models, advertising to young adults helps maintain adolescent interest in smoking.186 There has been increased channelling of tobacco promotions into nightclubs, events and media popular among young adults in Australia.135 The tobacco industry's focus on targeting young adults has been extensively examined in research undertaken in the United States.144, 145, 193-195 For more discussion, refer to Section 5.15.2 above, and Chapter 11, Sections 11.1.2 and 11.6.
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