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A STUDY OF CIGARETTE SMOKING AMONG TEEN-AGE GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN VOLUME II - DETAILED FINDINGS Conducted for The American Cancer Society r February, 1976 , TA\ht:1.0\'IC'll,SRELLI' ANI) H'1I1T1:, INC.

Describes Respondent My appearance is important to me Most of my friends are part of the "in crowd"' at school People's approval is important to me I have a strong need' to be independent It is important to me to be popular with girls It is very important _ to me to keep up on the latest styles It's more important for me to fit in than to be different from other people Meeting new people and being in new situations makes me more nervous than having things mount up I am shy rather than outgoing and'social I often feel ill at ease in social situations I'd like to be more sophisticated than I am now I have outgrown most people my age I often try to convince my friends to see things my way TABLE VLI-1 - SOCIAL PROFILE By Smokers and Nonsmokers Teen-Age Girls Non- Total Smokers smokers 8 82 72 , 71 73 (a) (a) (a):..:4,',) 63 50 67 50 44 •54 ` 62 62 62 .u~ 55 61 52 - 54 46 56 34 31 36 53 54 53 27 26 27' 42 44 41 32 32 ~ 32 42 32 46 18 23 16 38 24 43 35 32 36 33 27 35 29 31 2 8 ..., # 32 29 34 26 28 26 28 ` 38 24 (a) (a) (a) 25 31 22 17 17 17 (a) Not asked of women. ~ 90 Young, Women Non- Total Smokers smokers8 $ - 8

SECTION VIII SOCIAL VALUES AND THE CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN In the last decade or so, two major currents have had a strong influence on young people in this country--the "new values" and "women's lib." While closely interrelated,._they must be disen- twined to understand their full relationship to the increase in smoking among young teen-agers,and women. The new values movement--spawned by the generation of the sixties, with its strong emphasis on sexual freedom, antiauthoritarianism, belief in mysticism rather than rationalism, and rejection of restraints--appears to be directly related to smoking behavior among young teen-agers and to a lesser degree, young women. ...Teen-age smokers, for example, are rejecting of author- ity and of experts telling them what is good for them. ...Smokers, especially teen-agers, are more likely to re- ject traditional moral restrictions such as those against sexual freedom and use of illegal dru•gs. They are also more apt to reject the intellectual in favor of the emotional, and to emphasize feeling over thinking. The Women's Liberation Movement, which has been sug- gested as a cause for increased smoking among young

w r. . C women, does not appear to be as direct a factor in whether young teen-agers smoke, where they smoke or how much they smoke. The fact is that the majority of this entire gener- ation see eye-to-eye on most issues dealing with women and their changing role in society. They agree that: - Women should receive equal pay for equal work. Women should be as free as men to take the initiative in sex relations. ...Women's relationship to women is just as important as relationships with men. ...That people who say that woman's place is in the home are behind the times. ...That it is not important for the man to be the main pro- vider in the family. Interestingly, both smokers and nonsmokers question~some of the more radical ideas of the feminist movement. ~ - .~ .~h G^ ~ lb 94

...They agree'that it is important for a woman to be femi- nine. ...They believe that taking,care of a home and family can be as fulfilling as a career. ...They question whether a woman has a right to put her own self-fulfillment ahead of obligation to her family. Smoking; and the Changing Role of Women The idea that the increase in smoking among teen-agers and young womenis due, at least in part, to the changing role of women in our society is not directly supported by the findings. With mi- nor exceptions, items concerning women's liberation failed to dis- tinguish between smokers and nonsmokers either among the teen-age girls or the young women. Nonsmokers were just as likely as smokers to feel that: ...Women should receive equal pay for equal work with men; ,..The idea that a woman's place is in the home is behind the times; ...Taking care of a home and children is not as fulfilling as a career; etc.

r Finally, smokers and nonsmokers were equally likely to say that they identified moderately or strongly with the ideas of the Woman's Liberation Movement. The two exceptions to the general agreement between smokers and~ nonsmokers occur among the teen- agers, where nonsmokers are more likely to feel that it is im- portant for a woman to "act feminine" (63% versus 53%) and less likely to feel that women should be as free as men to take the initiative in sex relations (69% versus 80%)1. (Tables VIII-1 and VIII-2) Smoking and Attitudes Toward~ Authority Among the teen-agers, there is a strong distinction between smokers and nonsmokers in terms of their attitudes toward author- ity. The smokers are consistently more rejecting of various authority figures. They are more likely to be annoyed by "experts" who tell them what is good for them~ (53% versus 34%). They are more likely to say that there is already too much regu- lation of peoples' lives (49% to 39%) and less likely to say they would welcome more respect for authority in our society (64% versus 86%'). 03'745260 96 Among the young women, however, there is little difference between smokers and nonsmokers in their attitudes toward authority. While a few more smokers feel that there is too much regulation of peo- ples' lives (41% versus 32%) they are no more annoyed at experts

C C 97 or less likely to welcome more respect for authority than are the nonsmokers. (Table VIII-3) Smoking and New Social Values When asked about their feelings on a number of potential social changes, three major differences appeared between the smokers and the nonsmokers. The first is most characteristic of the teen-age girls and concerns a rejection of traditional moral restrictions-- specifically, the smokers say that they would welcome more accep- tance of sexual freedom (46% versus 33%) and more acceptance of drug usage by the general population (22% versus 6%). While a similar difference holds among,the women it is not as strong-- particularly in the area of drug use. The second difference concerns a rejection of the intellectual in favor of the emotional--an emphasis on feeling over thinking. Again, something the smokers--both teen-age and young women--are more likely to endorse. Finally, among the teen-agers only, the nonsmokers are more likely to express a desire for less emphasis on modern conveniences and more on nature (62% versus 52%) as well as for more emphasis on physical fitness (82% versus 63$) . 03745261 Interestingly enough, the smokers were no more likely than the nonsmokers to endorse a number of values often associated with

98 the "hippie" movement. Such changes as more acceptance of non- conformity, of self-expression and less emphasis on working hard elicited similar reactions from both smokers and'nonsmokers. (Table VIII-4)

99 TABLE VIII-1 FEELINGS ABOUT THE CHANGING ROLE 0£'WOMEN ~ By Smokers an&Nonsmokers .Identify strongly/ modesately with ideas of Women's Liberation Teen-Age Girls Non- Total Smokers smokers Movement . 65 Women should °receive equal pay for equal work 96 Taking care of a home and children is not as fulfilling as a career 41 People who say a woman's place is in the home are behind the times 57 A woman has a right to put her own self- #ulfillment ahead of obligation to her family 40 Women~should be as free as men to take the initiative in sex relations 72 There is almost no job that a ~ woman can't do as well as a man - 53 A woman's relationship to other women~is just as important as her relationship to men 56 65 65 97 95 45 40 61 56 41 39 80 69 56 52 53 58 Young Women Total Non- Smokers smokers 69 70 69' 96 95 96 28 27 28 .r:.~ : 54 55 54 ~ $ ~ 28 30 27 75 77 74 42 45 39 A.= ~ ~.: dOw 68 67 69 ~ ~ N ~ W `_

C C 100 TABLE VIII-2 i SELIEF'IN TRADITIONAL SEX ROLES By Smokers and Nonsmokers It is important for a man to act like a°real" man , . , . It is important for a woman to act feminine It is up to the man to be the main provider in the family There should be a separate set of moral norms for men and another for women Teen-Age Girls Young Women Non- Non- Total Smokers smokers Total Smokers smokers $ $ $ $ $ $ 61 61 60 62 67 59 `, . ' x 60 53 63 65 64 65 ~ 40 44 39 48 44 50 ' .15 15 15 9 11 `_ W G~`~ ~ »'a ~ N .A `_

101 TABLE!VIII-3 I would welcome more respect for authority There is too much regulation of people's lives I am annoyed by sorcalLed "experts" who try to tell me what is good for me ATTITUDES TOWARD AUTHORITY By Smokers and Nonsmokers s Teen-Age Girls Youna Women Tota Non- 1 Smokers smokers Total Non- Smokers smokers $ $ $ $ $ $ - 80 64 86 80~ 79 81 42 49: 39 36 41 32 39 53' 34' 36 38 35 V G-=

Would Welcome the Follpwing Social Changes More emphasils on self- expression More emphasis on ' physical fitness Less emphasis on . modern conveniences andimore oz nature More emphasis on feeling over thinking More acceptance of nonconformity Less emphasis on competitiveness Less emphasils on working hard More acceptance of sexual freedom Less emphasis on having,children More acceptance of drug usage 102' TABLE VI~II-4 ACCEPTANCE'OF NEW VALUES By Smokers and Nonsmokers Teen-Age Girls oung,Women i v} ~y Non- Total Smokers smokers Totali Non- + Smokers smokers p 8 8 8 $ 8 8 ~ 80, 81 79 80, 82 78 77 63 82 77 75 -7& 59 52 62 57 57 58 .; 53' 59 50 51 59 47 49 52 48 53 56 52 Y 42 48 39 50 56 46 - 38' 35 39 42 44, 40 37 46 33 34 40 30 26 34 23 34 37 32 ; 11 K 22 6 5 9 3 L? =MR +Lb ~ ~

.y f 113 Finally in this section, data on family relationships again re- ~ ! inforce the picture of the smoker as one who is at odds with the authority figures about her--in this case her parents. Here it can be pointed out to teens that in smoking they are behaving exactly like most of their parents. Nervousness and Tension Although the majority of women smokers name tension! and nervous- ness reduction as a prime benefit of smoking, neither teen-age nor young women smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to de- scribe themselves as "nervous" people or as "worriers." Half of the women (47%) and 2 out of 5 of the teen-agers (39%)--smokers and nonsmokers alike--say that they are nervous. One out of two (55%) of all teens and 2 out of 3(64$) of the women see them- selves as worriers. Among the girls, however, the smokers are more likely to be rest- less and "unable to sit still." This is a trait of two-thirds (64$) of the smokers and less than half (44%) of the nonsmokers. While the women smokers are no more likely to describe themselves as "restless" than the nonsmokers, they are somewhat more likely to say that they are under a "lot of pressure" at the moment (34% versus 24%).

114 Nervous Habits Asking girls and young,women what they do when they are nervous or upset reconfirms the smoker's reliance on cigarettes as a tool for dealing with~pressure. Nearly 3 out of 4 teen-age (71%) and women (78%)~ smokers said they were most likely to smoke a ciga- rette. Other differences between smokers and nonsmokers were slight. Among the teen-agers, the smokers were more likely to say that they also "get angry and yell at people" (39% versus 26%) while the nonsmokers are more likely to take the opposite tack and lay down, read a book or watch television (20% to 37%'). Among the women, it is the nonsmokers who are slightly more likely to yell (39% to 30%). More importantly, the nonsmokers are also more likely than the smokers to say that they get some- thing to eat or munch on when they get upset (36% to 51%). (Table X-2) Willpower and Self-Control A feeling of control over one's life and actions is important to a majority of teen-agers and young women. It is, however, slightly less important to the teen-age smoker thanithe nonsmoker (62% versus 74%). Among the women, however, it is equally impor- tant to smokers and nonsmokers alike (75% and 77% respectively). Likewise, less than a third of the teen-age girls (31%) or the young women (30%) feel they have little willpower or self- discipline. Among the teen-age girls this is equally true

115 both~smokers~(32$) and nonsmokers (31%). While women smokers are a little more likely to say they don't have much willpower, the number is still only 1 out of 3(34$). The one quality which must be overcome in 4 out of 10 teen-ag,e and women smokers is that of procrastination. Forty-five per cent of the teen-age smokers and 42 per cent of the womensmokers feel they are always putting things pff. (Table X-3 ) Luck and Risk Taking The idea that the smoker feels that she is "iucky" and can "beat the odds" of smoking-related disease does not seem to be borne out by the findings. Teen-age smokers are no more likely than nonsmokers to describe themselves as "lucky" (52% and 53%) nor do smokers say they feel they can "beat the odds" (18% smokers and 11% nonsmokers). Among the women, nonsmokers actually are more likely to describe themselves as "lucky" (68% versus 57%) and, while there is a difference between smokers and nonsmokers, the smokers are still not very likely to feel they can beat the odds (17% versus 7$) . 03745269 Indeed, for the teen-agers in particular, the dangers of smoking may kie part of its attraction. Twice as many smokers as non- smokers say that they occasionally like to do something dangerous just for the thrill of it (39% versus 20%). (Table X-4)

124 TABLE X-7 FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS By Smokers and Nonsmokers Teen-Age Girls Young Women~ Non- Non- Total Smokers smokers Total Smokers smokers Describes Respondent $ $ $ $ $ $ My me a parents trusted and let me make lot of my own decisions I come from a very 64 56 67 61 56 64 close-knit family At I want to do h my life is 56 43 61 59 55 62 different from what my parents want me to do 32 45 26 45 54 38 4

I SECTION XI DELINQUENCY, DRINKING AND DRUG USE While teen-age smoking, today, is very open and overt, it is still strongly associated with the kind of rebelliousness which was apparent back in the woodshed days. If anything, the identi- fication of smoking with a total rebellious syndrome is perhaps even more manifest today. Find the teen-age girl who smokes--and she is also far more likely than her nonsmoking peer to be drinking, using,marijuana, or to have engaged in some form of delinquent behavior such as shop- lifting. ...81$ of the teen-age smokers drink alcohol compared to 42% of the nonsmokers. ...64$ of the smokers have tried marijuana compared to 14% of the nonsmokers. ...32$ of the smokers have drunk to get drunk compared to 4% of the nonsmokers. .,.52$ have shoplifted compared to 26% of the nonsmokers.

of the nonsmokers who say that they have ever even tried widespread use of marijuana by the smokers indicates a readiness on their part to violate adult sanctions and to at least experi- ment with possibly dangerous behaviors. (Table XI-1) Smoking and Delinquent Activities Thrill seeking and a rebelliousness against adult standards is also reflected in the substantially higher self-reports of shop- lifting by teen-age smokers. More than half (52%) of the smokers report that they have shoplifted at least once compared to only one-fourth (26$)~ of the nonsmokers. While the overall rates are substantially less, the same pattern also holds for other forms of delinquent behavior. (Table XI-4) 4