Tobacco Documents Online

I. + 2¸ Y .° .o Group Research & Oevelopment Centre, British-American Tobacco Co. Ltd., SOUTHAY@TON SOCIAL DISAPPROBATIO~I OF ~,IOKING (PROJECT ARIES) II: TOP-LINE ANALYSIS REPORT NO. RD.1Q68-C RESTRICTED 4th June 1982. AUTHOR: M.J. Weaver GROUP LEADER: R.P. Ferris ISSUED BY' M. Oldman DISTRIBUTION- Dr. L.C.F. Blackman Copy No. 1, 2, 3 Dr. R.Ao Sanford " " 4, 5 Mr. R.M. Gfbb " " 6 Mr. R.W. Wade " " 7, 8, 9 Hr. R.G. Nfcholls " " 10, 11 Herr E. Rtttershaus " " 12 Dr. F. $eehofer " " 13 Dr. C.J.P. de Siqueira " " 14 Mr. W. Van Putten" " 15 Hr. H. Tudor " " 16 Dr. D.G. Felton " " 17 Library " " 18, 19 COPY NO. : P,j ! t I P ! + ). I L f )- & ClibP wwvv.fastio.com

Group Research & Developaent Centre, British-American Tobacco Co. Ltd., SOUTHAMPTON. MJNICAL/46H 4th June 1982. SOC IAL D ISAPPROBATION OF SMOK INt; (PROJECT AR IES} 11: TOP-LIP.[ ANALYSIS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Project ARIES is a la~je scale questionnaire based study of current social attitudes towards smoking and s~okers. This report discusses the relative priority of anti-smoking feeling, the relattve annoyance caused by moktng tn different situations and by different aspects of smoking, and the attitudes, beliefs and behavtour of smokers, ,x-smokers and never smokers. Overall, It. appears that anti-smoking feeling has a relatively low priority compared with feelings about other social and personal issues. However, non-~kers are relatively more concerned about smoking and an increasing number of smokers claim to be feeling under pressure about their smoking. Smokers and non-smokers agree that the most annoying aspects of smoking are the s~ell of stale smoke and messy ashtrays while the relatively less annoying aspects ar~the smell of fresh smoke and smokers. However, non-smokers in particular, show little differentiation in the annoyance caused by different aspects. This may have implications for how modifying particular parameters of the product might affect the attitudes of non-smokers. Smokers and non-smokers agree on the acceptability or otherwise of smoking in some situations. Those in which they disagree appear most likely -to lead to conflict. w P~ m : ~:.-':':-'=~:" . ,.~..'..." .... .... .. . Oil b P D F. - ww.w;l,ats¢lLe~eo,laa,~.~~ .~,.,,~.': ill ~.-.~. • ~:~, ~f~:, ~-~-:_." :. .

-it- The implications of pressure on smokers for thetr behavtour and attitudes are considered together with the role of certain factors in generating this pressure. It is suggested that future changes In concern about passive smoking and tn awareness of the prevalence of smoking may lead to significant increases tn the pressure exerted on and expe~enced by smokers. .Q t i : ..,,. " ' 1 [ jl ..IL. _ ill iiiiiii iii iiiiiii C(ibPD ' ' c . .. ....... r',o o'-, 0:3 co .,..,,..l. -- .r -

Group Research & Development Centre, Briti:h-~nerican Tobacco Co. Ltd., SOUTII~IPTON. ~UW/CAL/46tl 4th June 1982. a, SOCIAL DISAPPROBATIOI£ OF SMOKING (PROJECT ARIES) If: TOP-LIHE ANALYSIS REPORT t£O. RD.185B-C RESTRICTED TECHNICAL ABSTRACT This report presents methodologlcal details and top line analyses of data collected in Project ARIES, a large scale questionnaire survey of social attitudes towards smoking and smokers among smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers. The data suggest that, overall, anti-smoking feeling has a relatively low priority amongst other social and personal concerns, although concern is greater among non-smokers than among smokers. Analysis of acceptability of smoking in a variety of situations reveals those in which the potential for conflict between smokers and non-smokers may be greatest. Analysis of the annoyance caused by dlfferent aspects revealed similar ranktngs of smokers and non-smokers although these groups differed in the degree of discrimination between aspects. Analysis of the interactions between situations and annoyance aspects will be presented In a subsequent report. Responses from smokers reveal that they are experiencing increasing pressure concerning their smoking and the relationships between pressure, attitudes and behaviour are examined together with the role of social context and other factors. Possible future trends are discussed. 0 r~ CP, c~ (9o 0~, r~J I &, i ! i F

-iV- KEYHORDS ...? Project ARIES Social Pressure Soctal Disapproval Annoyance Demographics Brand Choice Quttt]ng 8ehav~our Personal Gonsumption Health Concern Passtve Smoking Smoktng Incidence ! mmm 0 rx.) CO CO

C0~"ENTS INTROOUCTION RESEARCH HETHOD CLASSIFICATION OF RESPONDENTS CONCERN ABOUT S~tOKING IN RELATION TO OTHER ISSUES SITUATION~£ EFFECTS AND NUISANCE ASPECTS OF SMOKING PRESSURE OH SHOKERS PERCEPTIOn OF PREVALEHCE OF SHOKIXG ATTITUDES TO SXOKING BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS SMOKERS DISCUSSION CONCLUSIONS REFEREHCES FIGURES APPENDIX I: St¢OKING BEHAVIOUR: DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS AND COHPARISON WITH PROJECT LIBRA 1 2 7 9 12 18 43 47 52 56 62 64 65 Ni, t i .. . .,.aw~'.;: • 4 . "'' ?;. "~ °P,, ! ! i. _-,. ,i r,,J i 0", 0", -I::=, -I::=. ClibPDI .COR1

INTRODUCTION In recent years, smokers have been increasingly subjected to pressures from a variety of sources. Perhaps the most significant influences have been, firstly, a growing awareness of smoking and health issues and, secondly, changing social attitudes and growing social pressure against smoking. Attitudes to smoking and health were explored in Project LIBRA (1, 2, 3, 4). The aim of Project ARIES is to examine social attitudes towards, and pressure against, smoking. Earlter studies have touched upon this area. In 1978 Operation Aquarius (5), research commissioned by a consortium of cigarette manufacturers, presented an analysis of pressures on the U.K. smoker. Among the topics covered were the role of government in curbing smoking behaviour, awareness of anti- smoking bodies, cigarette smoking as an annoyance, and restrictions on the individual's right to smoke. Items related to the social acceptability of smoking were also included in Project LIBRA. The overall intention of Project ARIES is to examine, in detail, current social attitudes towards smokers and smoking and the response of smokers to this. The specific objectives of the study are: (i) To provide information on the likely social pressure, if any, against smoktng;and to explore what prtortty anti-s~oking feeling has among other social concerns. (II) To explore in greater detail which components of smoking upset or annoy people and whether these differ between smokers and non-smokers. This information should provide information on what components might be modtfied and which ones are particularly influential in the public image of smoking. Quantitative studies 0 0", O0 Oo t, i i 1

-2- have suggested that people's views about smoking vary according to situations. Therefore. Project ARIES also examines differentiation between situations and the Interaction between nuisance aspects and situations. I111) To examine that section of smoking population that feels under pressure and to explore how this is related to smoking attitudes and behavtour. An earlier report (61 presented an introduction to Project ARIES and discussed results from the qualitative stage. This report is e presentation based on a top-line analysis of questionnaire data from Project ARIES. Detailed analysis of the interaction between nuisance aspects and situations will be presented In e subsequent report. RESEARCII llETtlOO The Staple The target sample size for the study was 1,000 respondents divided Into three sub-gronps as follows: 200 (20~) current manufactured cigarette smokers. 300 (30~) ex-mnufactured cigarette smokers. SO0 (50~t respondents who have never smoked manufactured cigarettes. The quota controls were set within each of these sub-groups proportionate to the demographic profile of each group, based on data from Operation Aquarius (5). The quotas set for each sub-sample were: 9179889 01 Sex Age 16-24 25-44 45-75 Class AO/CI C2 DE The interviews were conducted tn 100 sampling points throughout the U.K. select~d on a representative basis proportionate to the population. England, Grease and Associates Limited were commissioned by GRiDC to undertake the fielduork and top-line analysts. The questionnaire The ARIES questionnaire consisted of Items el|citing preliminary demographic and classificatory Information followed by blocks of Items as follows: (a) Psychographlcs Heasures of the dimensions of authoritarianism and neurottcism were |ncluded. it was felt that these personality dimensions would be most closely related to the Issue of social unacceptability of smoking and pressure against it. Lane;s Four-Item F Scale (7) was adopted for the measure of authoritarianism and six items relating to neuroticlsm were taken from Eysenck (8). Ib) General and Personal Issues The intention of this section was to gauge respondents* attitudes to a range of soctal and personal Issues. These were divided into two sections. The first dealt with Issues

-o (9 -4- of general social concern, e.g. Inflation, unemployment, EEC membership, and Included cigarette smoke. The second section dealt with Issues of more personal concern, e.g. over-eating, the pace of life, managing one's money, end tncluded smoking. Respondents were required to signify the degree of concern they felt for each of these Issued by giving tt a score ranging fro~O to 10. At this point respondents were routed through the remainder of the questionnaire according to their smoking status. (c) Smokers - Smokinp Babe, tour Information was collected regarding length of time as a smoker, level of consumption, current and previous brands and reasons for switching. (d) Smokers - Hotlvatlons and Pressure in this section information was colincted on the respondents' past attempts and present motivations to quit smoking. On the basis of responses in this section, respondents could be categerlsed according to their degree of consonance/dissonance as described In a previous report on ProJect LIBRA (2). Respondents were also questioned on the extent to which they felt under pressure to quit smoking or to modify their smoking behavtour. (el Ex-Smokers Questions for ex-smokers were for the most part similar to those for smokers, except that they were phrased retrospectively (i.e. "~en you were a smoker...'), information was collected on how long ago they gave up smoking, their previous smoking behavlour, including brands and attempted quitting, and the extent to which they had felt under pressure to quit. ZF9889 01 -5- (f) Sects1 Context All respondents were questioned about the prevalence of smoking In their home. social, and work environments. They were also asked about the concern they felt for the effect that smoking by other members of their household was having on these members' hea]th. (g) Situational Effects end Nuts,ere Aspects of'$mo_~tn~ All respondents completed this section of the questionnaire, which consisted of two parts. The first part elicited respondents' overall degree of approval/disapproval of smoking In each of twelve locations, e.g. "to mY own home', "on public transport', "In kitchens', "tna pub'. Respondents were required to signify whether they approved, disapproved, or neither approved nor disapproved of Smoking In these places. The second part elic|ted responses on how annoyed people were by specific aspects of smoking which had been Identified in quantitative studies as components which do annoy or upset people (e.g. "smell of fresh smoke', "exhaled smoke', ~clgarette ash', "smekers'). Respondents were required to rate the annoyance they felt with each of these aspects on a 0 to 10 scale for each of the situations listed in the first part. (h) r~rceptton of Prevalence of _~m~_~tng and Changes In Proportion of Smokers ..... ~ ..... This section of the questionnaire was destgned to collect Information on the perceived prevalence of smoking within the population. Respondents were asked within which ten-point percentage range they thought the proportion of smokers within the population fell. They were also asked to estimate the proportion of men and women smokers separately. Respondents were also asked whether they thought more or less people were smoking nowadays than five years ago and whether children were more or less likely to smoke nowadays than five years ago.

-6- Continuing the theme of children and smoking, all respondents were asked ,hether, If they could Influence things, th(y would want the children of today to smoke cigarettes ~hen they become adults. Smokers and ex-smokers were also asked if their own or other children had objected to their smoking and. If so, what It was that had particularly concerned them. |l) Attitudes to $_-oktn~ and Behavtour Toward Smokers All respondents completed a battery of attitude Items conce,-nlng people's right to choose to smoke, the social acceptability of smoking, and the significance of smoking In relatton to other bebevlo~rs such as drlnklng and drug taking. In addition, smokers answered Items on their embarrJssment when smoking, their considerations for non-smokers and whether they felt they could give up smoking. All respondents ;lore asked whether they agreed with the statement that "cigarette smoking is harmful to health" and whether they t~re concerned about the effects on their own health from other peopleOs smoking. Smokers and ex-smokers were asked whether they were or, In the case uf ex-smokers, had been, concerned about the effects their smoking might have on their own health. Smokers were asked If they knew the tar band of the brand of cigarette they smoked and whether they would prefer to smoke Io~ or lower tar cigarettes if they gave the same satisfaction as their usual brand. All respondents were asked whether they let smokers kno~ tf their smoking was bothering them, If they had ever tried to persuade someone tO give up smoking and, if so, how hard. Ex-smokers and never smokers were also asked If they discouraged people from smoking In their home and if they had ashtrays readily available. 89 01 -7- CLASSIFICATION OF RESPONDEMTS As well as setting top-line sorts on traditional demographic bases It was decided that classifications should be derived from categorlsatfons pertinent to the overall objectives of the study. Hlthln each major sub-group of smokers, ex-smokers and never smokers, further classifications were made by demographic characteristics and also by: the Judgement of the percentage of the population smoking cigarettes; degree of concern about the effect of other people's smoking on one's own hoa|th; degree of concern about smoking In relation to other social and personal Issues. in Project LIBRA (2) smokers were further dl fferentlated according to the degree of consonance or dissonance they expressed between their attitudes towards quitting smoking and their smoking behavlour. Thts differentiation has been further extended and refined for use tn ProJect ARIES to Include the variable of perceived pressure to quit smoking which, as suggested tn an earlier report (4), might mediate the relationship between attitudes to smoking and actual behavlour In terms of quitting or modifying smoking hehavfour. The smokers tn each consonance/dissonance category can be divided Into those who are under, or perceive themelves to be under, pressure to quit smoking and those who do not. Hithln the sample for ProJect ARZES this classification gave rise to five groups large enough for comparisons as follows: 1. Not tried to quit/not seriously wanting to quit now/under no pressure - HIC(HP). 2. Have tried to quit/not seriously wanting to quit now/under no pressure - CON[NP). 3. Have tried to quit/not serloqsly wanting to quit now/under no pressure - HID(HP).