HAVING certain personality traits could influence the chances of becoming a smoker, with outgoing people who are worriers more likely to light up.
A new study has revealed teenagers who have characteristics associated with extroversion and anxiety have a greater likelihood of being smokers in later life. The conclusions come from an analysis of national health survey data on people in England, Scotland and Wales, first collected in the 1940s and repeated at intervals until the participants were in their late 50s.
Researchers found odds of being a smoker as an adult increased with higher personality scores at the age of 16 for extrovert behaviour, such as sociability, impulsiveness and sensation-seeking, and neurotic traits, which include anxiety, depression and anger.
Research leader Marcus Munafo, a lecturer in biological psychology at Bristol University, said: "What we looked at is personality measured early in life and what happened to them after that, in whether they became a smoker or non-smoker. The main findings suggest your personality might mean you are more or less likely to become a smoker." The study, published online by the journal Nicotine And Tobacco Research, is part of an examination of the link between mood and smoking. Munafo said it was hoped the findings could lead to improvements in cessation services to help people quit cigarettes.
Maureen Moore, chief executive of ASH Scotland, pointed out other factors also influenced people to smoke. She said: "The tobacco industry has worked hard to market its product as a desirable adult lifestyle accessory, and only in recent years have we started to properly address that. ASH Scotland would like to see further effective prevention work, including raising the purchase age for tobacco in line with alcohol."
The first anniversary of the ban on smoking in public places in Scotland takes place tomorrow. The milestone has prompted a mixed reaction, amid concern at the impact the legislation has had on premises such as bingo halls and pubs. Last week, a survey from the Scottish Licensed Trade Association claimed one third of pubs have had to cut staff because of a downturn in trade.
Tom Bell, chief executive of the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland, said it was likely enforcement would now be concentrated on "mopping up" some offenders, such as bus and taxi drivers who sneak a cigarette in their vehicles during breaks.
"The mass population has been the main focus, but now they will have time to concentrate on the odd rascal who is having a sly fag in his private hire car or taxi," he added.
Latest figures show the numbers of people calling NHS Health Scotland's Smokeline for advice on how to quit has fallen from a high of more than 1800 per week around the time of the ban to around 700 per week. Dr Alan McDevitt, a GP in Clydebank and secretary of the BMA's GP committee in Glasgow, said while the ban had prompted an initial surge of patients wanting to quit smoking, levels were now back to normal.
However, he added: "People are generally much more willing to discuss smoking, there is much less solid resistance than there used to be."
Health minister Andy Kerr said that the ban had been an "overwhelming success".
He added: "Deaths from heart disease, stroke and cancer are falling and will continue to do so in years to come as a result of the ban."
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