The study titled “Reassessing the importance of ‘lost pleasure’ associated with smoking cessation: Implications for social welfare and policy,” was published in the journal Tobacco Control. After analyzing data from 1,284 smokers across the US, researchers from the GSU’s Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS), found that over 80% of their study subjects were unhappy about smoking and regretful about ever taking on the habit.
“More than 80% of current smokers report high (22.5%) or very high (59.8%) discontent due to inability to quit, perceived addiction and regret about having started to smoke. Higher levels of discontent did not vary significantly by sex, age, race/ethnicity, education or income,” read the study Abstract.
When asked to verbalize the first thought that came to mind when they thought of cigarettes, amongst the most common responses were: cancer, addictive, nasty, stinky, expensive, dangerous and stupid.
Regulators must not assume that smokers associate quitting with a ‘loss of pleasure’
The researchers pointed out that the number of smokers who are unhappy about their addiction, greatly outnumber those who wish to keep smoking, and regulators should keep this in mind. “These discontent smokers could have a substantial net welfare gain if new regulations helped them escape their concerns about the health effects from continuing smoking,” concluded the study.
Read Further: Medical Press
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