COVID-19 has not resulted in a net increase in smoking unlike other natural disasters

Unlike other stressful population-level events such as natural disasters, COVID-19 has not resulted in a marked increase in smoking, according to a new study from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) project at the University of Waterloo.

The researchers also found that although nearly half of smokers said COVID-19 made them think about quitting, the vast majority of smokers did not change their smoking habits during the first phase of the pandemic. COVID-19.

Led by Shannon Gravely, Assistant Research Professor at the ITC Project, the study surveyed 6,870 smokers and vapers in four high-income countries – Australia, Canada, England and the United States – during the world’s first wave of COVID- 19 between April and June 2020. The team examined the association between COVID-19 and thoughts about quitting smoking, changes in smoking, and factors related to positive changes such as trying to quit or quitting. reduce smoking.

Only 1.1 percent of smokers in the four countries attempted to quit and 14.2 percent reduced their tobacco use, but this was offset by the 14.6 percent who increased their smoking, 70, 2 percent reported no change.

It is important to note that stressful events at the population level, such as September 11 and natural disasters, have often led to an increase in smoking. So our findings that there has been no net increase in smoking in response to COVID-19 may in fact represent a positive public health outcome.. “

Geoffrey Fong, Professor of Psychology and Principal Investigator of the ITC Project, University of Waterloo

The study found that those who thought about quitting smoking due to COVID-19 were mostly women, ethnic minorities, people with financial stress, current vapers, less addicted smokers, people more concerned about personal susceptibility to infection and those who believe COVID-19 is more severe for smokers.

According to Fong, who was a co-author of the study, this latest finding could explain why the COVID-19 pandemic has not resulted in a significant increase in smoking, compared to past tragedies.

“Unlike other population stressors such as earthquakes, which are unrelated to smoking, the severity of COVID-19 is indeed linked to smoking,” Fong said. “Public health officials cited the link as another reason smokers quit, and more than 80% of smokers in the four countries believed smoking made COVID-19 more serious. unlike what we have seen after other tragedies. “