Transitions in Smoking Status Over Time in a Population-Based Panel Study of Smokers

Abstract

Introduction:Few studies have examined the transitions of smokers in the general population through multiple periods of daily, occasional smoking, or abstinence over time. Transitions from daily to occasional smoking are particularly of interest as these may be steps toward cessation.Methods:The Ontario Tobacco Survey panel study followed 4,355 baseline smokers, semiannually for up to 3 years. Probabilities of all possible changes in smoking status more than 6 months were estimated using 13,000 repeated measures observations generated from sets of 3 consecutive interviews (n = 9,932 daily smokers, 1,245 occasion smokers, and 1,823 abstinent for at least 30 days, at Time 1).Results:For initial daily smokers, an estimated 83% remained daily smokers more than 2 follow-ups. The majority of those who had been abstinent for 30 days at 1 interview, were also former smokers at the following interview. In contrast, occasional smoking status was unstable and future smoking status was dependent upon smoking history and subjective dependence. Among daily smokers who became occasional smokers 6 months later, an estimated 20% became a former smoker, at the next interview, but 50% returned to daily smoking. Daily, turned occasional smokers who rebounded back to daily smoking were more likely to describe themselves as addicted at Time 1. Continuing occasional smokers were somewhat less likely to intend to quit, or have tried, despite considering themselves less addicted.Conclusions:Reducing to occasional smoking can be a stepping stone toward cessation but entails a greater risk of return to daily smoking, compared with complete abstinence.

Correlates of Converted and Native Nondaily Smoking

“…12 Converted nondaily smokers are more motivated to quit, more likely to successfully quit smoking, and have higher utilization of behavioral and pharmacological aids smoking cessation aids than native nondaily smokers. [13][14][15] While several studies have contrasted converted and native nondaily smokers, little is known about the relative importance of the characteristics distinguishing between converted versus native nondaily smokers. Identifying those behavioral characteristics, beliefs, and tobacco use behaviors that best account for differences between converted and native nondaily smokers will inform future interventions that could be targeted to these groups.…”

Effect of a Mobile Phone Intervention on Quitting Smoking in a Young Adult Population of Smokers: Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

“…In Canada, the typical unassisted abstinence rate based on 30-day PPA (having not smoked in the previous 30 days prior to being interviewed 6 months after baseline) is 5% (95% CI 4%-6%) among adult smokers based on a large sample size (n=4,355) population-based longitudinal cohort study of Ontario smokers [45]. According to the same Ontario longitudinal cohort study of smokers, the unassisted 30-day PPA for young adult smokers (aged 18-29 years) is 11.5%…”

Experimentally Switching from Factory made to Self-Made Cigarettes: A Preliminary Study of Perceptions, Toxicant Exposure and Smoking Behavior

“…Nearly all (92%) of current exclusive MYO smokers had begun smoking FM cigarettes and had subsequently switched to MYO smoking after an average of 18.3 years of exclusively smoking FM cigarettes. Generally, smokers switch among various types of cigarettes and tobacco products in response to price, health concerns or as an attempt at tobacco cessation [6,7]. One example of the transition is between FM and MYO cigarettes, a transition that is usually in response to increasing FM cigarette price [3,5,8], however, there have been no attempts to experimentally study the transition.…”

“…This quickly led to dramatic increases (482%) in the sale of loose tobacco (labeled as pipe tobacco) [1]. The MYO smokers also state that they believe that MYO cigarettes are less harmful than FM cigarettes and they are more appealing because the user can control additives and ingredients of the cigarettes produced [4,6,11]. With increasing regulation and the price of FM cigarettes, the use of MYO cigarettes is likely to increase.…”

“…With increasing regulation and the price of FM cigarettes, the use of MYO cigarettes is likely to increase. In the United States, MYO smokers typically produce cigarettes by hand rolling tobacco in paper leaves, or by injecting tobacco into preformed, empty, filter-tipped paper tubes using an injector machine (Personal Machine Made, PMM) [6]. The present preliminary study was conducted to determine the feasibility of experimentally replicating the transition from FM to PMM smoking by examining the adaptability and perceptions of the consumer and the consequent exposure to cigarette-delivered toxins from PMM cigarettes.…”