Melbourne, Sept 29, : Contrary to what many people believe about the positive
outcomes of smoking bans, a national two-year study by the Melbourne Institute has
revealed, that rather than keeping Aussie teens away from smoking, a “rebellion
effect” among 18 to 24 year-olds, may actually be prompting them towards picking up
the habit.
According to Hielke Buddelmeyer, the study report’s lead author, while the bans
imposed by states in Australia, that were designed to slow down the rate of passive
smoking amongst the 18-24 years age group, were found to be ineffective in
prompting smokers to quit.
“For the group, this effect is even reversed which is interpreted as a rebellion effect,”
The Advertiser quoted Buddelmeyer, as saying.
“We also find that those most at risk of starting to smoke are teenagers and young
adults and individuals who recently have experienced a break-up, who frequently
consume alcohol, are unemployed or have low education,” he added. And some
smokers felt that the ban only resulted in the “reverse psychology” effect, wherein the
more something is banned, the more people take to it.
“It’s reverse psychology. The more you push something the more they are not going to
do it,” the paper quoted an Adelaide smoker, as saying.
“I’ve seen kids as young as 11 with cigarettes in their hand. They have even come up
and asked for a smoke.” He said young people would continue to smoke, “whether
the government likes it or not”, he added.
