To be one who continues to smoke: Construction of legitimacy and meaning in young adults’ accounts of smoking

A qualitative analysis of ‘informed choice’ among young adult smokers

“…Many repeatedly declared their ability to stop smoking when they wished and constructed identities where they were in control, aware of risks, but not yet affected by them 12 24. Addiction undermined this confidence and self-image by marking the failure of psychological willpower to outweigh physiological addiction.…”

Smokers’ Understandings of Addiction to Nicotine and Tobacco: A Systematic Review and Interpretive Synthesis of Quantitative and Qualitative Research

“…This was particularly the case for adolescent smokers 54,59,70,71 . While an acknowledgement of addiction in some form was common, views on what this meant varied widely.…”

A Qualitative Study of Attitudes towards Smoking and Anti-Smoking Measures among Korean Male Smokers in Australia

“…Also, in a highly stressful Korean society where there are little other available coping resources, smoking has been positioned as an antidote or coping mechanism (Collins, 2004). Other studies (Poland et al, 2006;Scheffels & Schou, 2007;Gilbert, 2008;Haines-Saah et al, 2015) highlighting the importance of social and cultural contexts support the contention that smoking is sustained by social and cultural structures in Korea.…”

“…It would appear that constructing themselves as being aware of the health consequences but not being affected by them yet positions smokers as not having to stop smoking in a sensible way (Scheffels & Schou, 2007 benefits of smoking are more important and stronger. As Collins et al (2002) suggested, smokers may not think of the health effects of their smoking in normal day.…”