Hard times prompt Americans to increase smoking

Stress caused by a slowing economy, shrinking retirement accounts and rising unemployment rates is driving some American smokers to increase the habit or delay quitting, according to a new survey.

A quarter of smokers who are worried about the economy said fretting over it has driven them to smoke more each day, while another 13 percent said they have delayed quitting.

"The turbulent global stock markets have caused virtually every American a certain level of stress. Those who also struggle with an addiction to tobacco products are at an increased disadvantage. Quitting smoking under normal circumstances is one of the most difficult things you can do. ”Cheryl Healton, the president and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation, said in a statement.

The Washington, D.C.-based anti-smoking advocacy group commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct the online poll of 2,375 Americans 18 years old and older.

Women smokers were more likely to smoke more due to worries about the economy, with 31 percent reporting they did, compared to 17 percent of men.

A higher percentage (38 percent) of lower-income smokers-- those with a household income of $35,000 or less -- reported that they smoke more cigarettes per day due to the economy, the survey showed.

Unemployed smokers were also more likely to boost smoking due to the financial crisis, with 29 percent smoke more compared to 17 percent of employed smokers.

Former smokers are also not immune to the trend. The survey showed that seven percent of current smokers said their anxiety about the economy had driven them to start smoking again, while nine percent of former smokers were tempted to resume the habit.

But hard times have also encouraged smokers to be more thrifty. One fifth of smokers who are stressed about the economy said they switched to a cheaper brand to save money.

一项最新调查显示，经济放缓、退休金减少和失业率不断上升让美国人不堪重压，一些烟民则因此增大了吸烟量或推迟了戒烟计划。

调查显示，在对经济状况感到担忧的烟民中，四分之一的人称心情忧虑使得他们每日的吸烟量增大，另有13%的人称他们推迟了戒烟计划。

总部位于华盛顿的反吸烟组织美国遗产基金会的总裁兼CEO谢丽尔•希尔顿在一份声明中说：“全球股市动荡给每个美国人都造成了一定程度的压力。而那些正在戒烟的人压力更大，在正常的环境下戒烟就已经十分困难了。”

这项在线调查由该机构委托哈里斯互动公司开展，共对2375名年龄在18岁以上的美国人进行了调查。

调查表明，女性烟民更易因担心经济而增加吸烟量，其中有31%的人如此；而男性烟民的这一比例为17%。

此外，较低收入（家庭年收入不到3.5万美元）烟民的这一比例更高，38%的人称由于担心眼下的经济状况，他们现在抽得更凶。

同时，失业烟民受金融危机的影响也更大，其中有29%的人吸烟量增大，而这一比例在未失业烟民中为17%。

已经戒烟的人也难免受影响。调查显示，7%的受访者称自己原本已戒烟，但由于心情焦虑，现在又开始复吸，另有9%的人称他们由于经不住诱惑而犯了老毛病。

而眼下的经济不景气则让很多烟民变得更加节约，五分之一的人称，为了省钱，现在他们改抽便宜的牌子了。