Physiological Sensations of Initial Smoking in the Development of Regular Smoking Behavior

Abstract

Abstract:This study examined the relationships between adolescents' physiological sensations of smoking during initiation and early experience. For a national sample of a birth cohort of 2,043 adolescents, ages 15 to 22 years at the follow-up, variables of interest included measures of smoking behavior and physiological sensations reported from the initial smoking experience. Analysis showed that adolescents experimenting with smoking were more likely to become regular smokers over three years if they indicated that they felt relaxed, felt dizzy, did not feel sick, and did not cough during the initial smoking experience. Antismoking interventions may impede the transition to regular smoking by helping adolescents interpret the physiological sensations as negative and unhealthy.

Using MIMIC models to examine the relationship between current smoking and early smoking experiences

“…Consistent with other reports in the literature ( Chen et al, 2003 ;DiFranza et al, 2004 ;Hahn et al, 1990 ;Pomerleau et al, 1998Pomerleau et al, , 1999Wang, Fitzhugh, Trucks, Cowdery, & Perko, 1995 ), pleasurable sensations upon early experiences with smoking were identifi ed as an important factor in the transition from experimentation to regular cigarette use. These early pleasant experiences do not exclude the concomitant experience of unpleasant sensations, but our fi ndings suggest that the absence of unpleasant sensations cannot be ruled out as an additional contributing factor that facilitates the transition to smoking in vulnerable individuals.…”

Sensations from initial exposure to nicotine predicting adolescent smoking in China: A potential measure of vulnerability to nicotine

“…Multiple logistic regression analyses with and without controls for confounding variables indicated that these three sensations showed the strongest and most consistent associations with current and established smoking. The findings for pleasurable buzz/rush and relaxation sensations are consistent with findings from other studies (Eissenberg & Balster, 2000;Kassel, Shiffman, Gnys, Paty, & Zettler-Segal, 1994;Middlecamp et al, 2001;Shadel et al, 2000;Wang et al, 1995). However, the finding that the sensation cigarette smell is related to current and established smoking is new.…”

“…The quality and strength of the perceived sensations from tobacco and nicotine exposure play an important role in the maintenance of cigarette smoking behavior and the development of nicotine dependence (Eissenberg & Balster, 2000;Pomerleau & Pomerleau, 1992;Pomerleau & Pomerleau, 1994;Shadel, Shiffman, Niaura, Nichter, & Abrams, 2000). Although the causal mechanisms are not yet fully understood, cumulative biological, psychological, and behavioral research on cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence suggests that initial sensations from nicotine exposure may provide important indicators of an individual's vulnerability to nicotine and the subsequent development of nicotine dependence (Eissenberg & Balster, 2000;Hirschman, Leventhal, & Glynn, 1984;Jones, 1986;Pomerleau, 1995;Pomerleau, Pomerleau, & Namenek, 1998;Wang, Fitzhugh, Trucks, Cowdery, & Perko, 1995). These studies suggest that sensations from the first few exposures may be particularly important.…”

“…One longitudinal study investigated whether sensations derived from the initial cigarette smoking experience predicted smoking progression among 2,043 adolescents in the United States (Wang et al, 1995). This study found that experimenting smokers who experienced sensations of relaxation and dizziness during their initial exposure were at an increased risk of becoming regular smokers (2.5-year risk ratios were 1.77 and 1.69 for relaxation and dizziness, respectively).…”

Taking a First Puff: Cigarette smoking experiences among ethnically diverse adolescents

“…Conversely, pleasant sensations are suggested to facilitate the progress towards becoming a regular smoker. 21 In this study, teens used terms like`puke'`gross' , coughed my brains out' , and`queasy feeling' to describe their initial reactions to smoking (Table 3).…”