The Authors’ Own Words: Internalized smoking stigma in relation to quit intentions, quit attempts, and current e-cigarette use

The Authors’ Own Words: We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Internalized smoking stigma in relation to quit intentions, quit attempts, and current e-cigarette use

Richard J. O’Connor, PhD; Vaughan W. Rees, PhD; Cheryl Rivard, MPH; Dorothy K. Hatsukami, PhD; & K. Michael Cummings, PhD, MPH

Substance Abuse Vol. 38, Iss. 3, 2017

“Smokers who reported greater feelings of stigmatization about their smoking were more likely to report having made recent quit attempts and report a stronger intention quit smoking in the future, and also report more e-cigarette use which may reflect efforts by smokers to change their smoking behavior. At the same time, is also important to recognize the potential negative consequences associated with stigmatizing smokers, who may self-segregate in ways that which make quitting smoking harder to accomplish. Behavioral interventions for smoking cessation might address stigma-related issues as part of the quitting process.”