What We Really Think About Smoking

Amanda L. Chan

It's no secret that smoking is bad for health -- tobacco use is thebiggest cause of preventable deathsin the U.S., and is clearly linked with throat and lung cancer and lung conditions likechronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).

But what are our attitudes towardsocialsmoking?Yahoo! Shineconducted a survey in honor of National Lung Cancer Awareness Month (November) to gauge people's attitudes toward social smoking and smoking's impact on relationships and health. Social smoking is generally defined as smoking only when in a certain environment, like when with friends or when at a bar, club or sporting event.

The surveyinvolved 1,000 Yahoo! users.

Click through the slideshow to see six surprising stats about our attitudes toward social smoking.

Smoking: Cool, Or Uncool?

Fifty-seven percent of men and 71 percent of women consider smoking as "very uncool."
Fifty-seven percent of men and 71 percent of women consider smoking as "very uncool."

How Many Smoke?

Sixty-one percent of people ages 18 to 34 said they have never smoked before.
Sixty-one percent of people ages 18 to 34 said they have never smoked before.

Smoking And Love

Fifty-eight percent of women and 49 percent of men said they would never date a smoker. And 32 percent of women said they would never smoke around a significant other.
Fifty-eight percent of women and 49 percent of men said they would never date a smoker. And 32 percent of women said they would never smoke around a significant other.

Addicted, Or Not?

Twenty-eight percent of smokers said they are addicted or dependent on cigarettes, and 72 percent of smokers say "I choose when I smoke and can go without at any time."
Twenty-eight percent of smokers said they are addicted or dependent on cigarettes, and 72 percent of smokers say "I choose when I smoke and can go without at any time."

Social Smoking

Forty-one percent of people ages 18 to 34 say they only smoke in a social setting, with a common reason for this being that smoking "enhances" consumption of alcohol. Fifty-six percent of people ages 18 to 34 said that they smoke when they drink alcohol because "I like the extra buzz it gives me." Sixty-five percent of people who say they only smoke in social situations smoke one to two cigarettes while out and about. Women are more aware of the health dangers of social smoking, with 76 percent of women saying they know that it's a danger to health, while only 42 percent of men said the same thing.
Forty-one percent of people ages 18 to 34 say they only smoke in a social setting, with a common reason for this being that smoking "enhances" consumption of alcohol. Fifty-six percent of people ages 18 to 34 said that they smoke when they drink alcohol because "I like the extra buzz it gives me." Sixty-five percent of people who say they only smoke in social situations smoke one to two cigarettes while out and about. Women are more aware of the health dangers of social smoking, with 76 percent of women saying they know that it's a danger to health, while only 42 percent of men said the same thing.

Barriers To Smoking

Sixty-three percent of men and 59 percent of women say that risks to their health are the main deterrence from smoking full-time. Men said the expenses associated with smoking are the No. 2 reason for not smoking full-time, while for women, the No. 2 reason for not smoking is that it is gross and they don't want to smell like cigarettes.
Sixty-three percent of men and 59 percent of women say that risks to their health are the main deterrence from smoking full-time. Men said the expenses associated with smoking are the No. 2 reason for not smoking full-time, while for women, the No. 2 reason for not smoking is that it is gross and they don't want to smell like cigarettes.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.

Recommended Stories