From social accessory to societal disapproval: smoking, social norms and tobacco endgames

Hoek, Janet; Edwards, Richard; Waa, Andrew

doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-056574

Cited by 25 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 137 publications

(229 reference statements)

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“…This result is similar to previous studies that have shown that susceptibility towards smoking and smoking rates increase rapidly with age 38 . Furthermore, we found that girls were more likely to be assigned to a group with descriptive social norms favorable towards smoking than boys 39 . Women are a new target population of tobacco marketing, in which smoking is offered as a symbol of empowerment 39 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…Furthermore, we found that girls were more likely to be assigned to a group with descriptive social norms favorable towards smoking than boys 39 . Women are a new target population of tobacco marketing, in which smoking is offered as a symbol of empowerment 39 . This can impact their perception of the cigarette and, therefore, their social norms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

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Exploring the mechanistic pathways of how social network influences social norms in adolescent smoking prevention interventions

Montes

Blanco

Useche

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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We know little about how smoking prevention interventions might leverage social network structures to enhance protective social norms. In this study we combined statistical and network science methods to explore how social networks influence social norms related to adolescent smoking in school-specific settings in Northern Ireland and Colombia. Pupils (12–15 years old) participated in two smoking prevention interventions in both countries (n = 1344). A Latent Transition Analysis identified three groups characterized by descriptive and injunctive norms towards smoking. We employed a Separable Temporal Random Graph Model to analyze homophily in social norms and conducted a descriptive analysis of the changes in the students’ and their friends’ social norms over time to account for social influence. The results showed that students were more likely to be friends with others who had social norms against smoking. However, students with social norms favorable towards smoking had more friends with similar views than the students with perceived norms against smoking, underlining the importance of network thresholds. Our results support the notation that the ASSIST intervention takes advantage of friendship networks to leverage greater change in the students' smoking social norms than the Dead Cool intervention, reiterating that social norms are subject to social influence.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Exploring the mechanistic pathways of how social network influences social norms in adolescent smoking prevention interventions

Montes

Blanco

Useche

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For example, BAT claim they are committed to “meeting all of the differing preferences of our consumers, providing them with a choice of outstanding products across the risk continuum” (BAT AR 2016) and PMI argue that their efforts in newer product development will “provide consumers with the assurance that the product information they receive is based on sound science and allows them to make an informed choice based on the risk profile of different products.” Not only does the ‘individualisation' argument covertly blame consumers who ‘fail to choose' the ‘better' products that are presented to them, but it also precludes the TTCs taking responsibility for individual harms caused by their products. Though this argument was played out in this sample in connection to newer products, it is not new; it is simply a reincarnation of already used narratives that framed smoking not as an “addiction” but as a “habit” ( 45 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tobacco industry messaging around harm: Narrative framing in PMI and BAT press releases and annual reports 2011 to 2021

Fitzpatrick

Dance²,

Silver³

et al. 2022

Front. Public Health

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Influencing public perception is a key way in which all transnational corporations (TNCs) maintain market dominance and political power. Transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) have a long history of leveraging narratives to serve commercial ambitions. The global reach of these companies' narratives has been highlighted as a challenge in combatting public health problems caused by tobacco. The corporate power of TTCs is carefully curated, and their narratives play an important role in the setting of governance dynamics at local, national and transnational levels. This qualitative work explores and compares the language used by British American Tobacco (BAT) and Philip Morris International (PMI) around harm, harm reduction and terms used to refer to newer nicotine and tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products. We systematically examine framings used by these two TTCs through company reports published between 2011 and 2021. Qualitative coding was carried out by four coders, according to a protocol developed specifically for this work. We firstly identified the presence of pre-selected keywords and then assigned chunks of text containing those key words to one or more associated frames drawn from Boydstun's policy frames codebook (2013). Qualitative coding identified the most common frames from Boydstun's codebook and thematic analysis highlighted three overarching themes. The most common frames assigned were “capacity and resources”, “health and safety” and “economic” frames. The overarching themes were individualization, normalization, and regulation. These themes capture how both BAT and PMI use particular framings to downplay the role of TTCs in the perpetuation of population- and individual-level harms related to tobacco use. They seek to normalize their role in public discussions of health policy, to cast themselves as instrumental in the redress of tobacco-related inequalities and shift responsibility for the continuation of tobacco-product use onto individual consumers. These tactics are problematic for the effective and impartial development and implementation of local, national and international tobacco control agendas.

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“…This may be seen as aligning with efforts by some groups to counter stigma and reclaim positive identities, such as movements to reverse fat-shaming, particularly for those for whom social exclusion risks entrenching their smoking identity. 20 However, people-first language does not invalidate how people may choose to self-identify. It provides a broader conceptualisation which reduces the potential for stigma, resists tobacco industry narratives and promotes greater precision and accuracy, as well as creating space which recognises these self-claimed identities can change.…”

Section: Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

New policy of people-first language to replace ‘smoker’, ‘vaper’ ‘tobacco user’ and other behaviour-based labels

et al. 2023

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From social accessory to societal disapproval: smoking, social norms and tobacco endgames

Cited by 25 publications

References 137 publications

Exploring the mechanistic pathways of how social network influences social norms in adolescent smoking prevention interventions

Exploring the mechanistic pathways of how social network influences social norms in adolescent smoking prevention interventions

Tobacco industry messaging around harm: Narrative framing in PMI and BAT press releases and annual reports 2011 to 2021

New policy of people-first language to replace ‘smoker’, ‘vaper’ ‘tobacco user’ and other behaviour-based labels

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