Most smokers who hide their smoking habit make it a point not to tell their parents, grandparents and kids, according to a recent investigation. Although half of the smokers interviewed are open about their smoking habit, 70 percent of those who hide it do so from their parents. A further 20 percent hide it from grandparents and 14 percent from their kids. This arose from a research carried out as part of the EU-wide Ex-smokers Are Unstoppable campaign that focuses on encouraging Europeans to quit smoking. Smoking tobacco continues to be the main cause of preventable death and disease in the EU, with 29 percent of Europeans smoking.
Many smokers, 44 percent, felt smoking tobacco prevented them from feeling healthy and in control of their health or from practising sports. A further 10 percent declared it can cause problems in bars. Around a third argued that they found it obstinate to resist having a cigarette when communicating with other smokers, when drinking alcohol and even after a meal. Others found it very difficult to resist when stressed and first thing in the morning.
A third of inhabitants told that they would feel proud if they never smoked again and a similar percentage thought they would feel healthy and motivated to keep their health. However, 19.8 percent declared that it would make them anxious and 14 percent said they would feel less sociable. The study also found that the most helpful factors in stop smoking were willpower and desire to do this. In fact, the biggest barrier to quit smoking was absence of willpower.
The “positive” aspects of smoking tobacco included stress management and enjoying a cigarette smoke when drinking. More than a quarter, 28 percent, expressed a wish to kick the smoking habit within a year and 14 percent argued that they wanted to quit but over a longer period.