CURRENT SMOKERS: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL INQUIRT

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of the proposed investigation is to gain an insider's understanding of current cigarette smokers. The focus will be on the meaning of smoking to those who smoke, the context in which smoking occurs, the pathways that lead to smoking and smoking escalation, and the ways in which changes in societal norms and values impact the social role of being a smoker. The specific aims are: (1) to examine the emic meaning of cigarette smoking among current smokers and the extent to which this meaning varies by social context; (2) to investigate the impact of changing societal views on cigarette smoking on current smokers, including the meaning they attach to their smoking and their social role as smoker; (3) to study cigarette use careers among current smokers, including pathways into initiation, continued use, and cessation efforts. The guiding theoretical perspectives for this qualitative inquiry are phenomenology and symbolic interaction. Open-ended, in-depth life history interviews will be conducted with 300 current smokers, all of whom will be 18 years or older and fit the criteria for current smoking (having smoked at least 100 cigarettes ever and currently smoking every day or some days). Passive and active recruitment will be employed as well as targeted and theoretical sampling. The significance of the proposed study partly lies in its qualitative nature as much of our knowledge on smoking is derived from quantitative studies. In addition to investigating the meaning of smoking to smokers, we will focus on issues such as the extent to which societal norms and values impact smokers, including their social role, and the relationship between the meaning of smoking and use careers. In addition, the study will provide an understanding of ways in which cigarette smokers define dependence, tolerance, and relapse. The qualitative inquiry also will provide an understanding of the cognitive processes that smokers employ when contemplating quitting. A typology of smokers derived from the perspective of smokers themselves will also be developed. Finally, the findings will provide formative and interpretive data for future prevention and intervention efforts and baseline information for policy makers.