The damage done by the COVID-19 pandemic is twofold: inaddition to suffering from direct effects of the virus, the world is grapplingwith the challenge of social distancing. The mental and physical toll of thispractice may be particularly profound for millions of smokers who, as a way tocope with stress, have increased their tobacco intake.
A recent poll explores the relationship between COVID-19social distancing and health among 6,801 tobacco and nicotine users in 5countries (India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, and SouthAfrica). Released today by the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, the surveyfound that the pandemic has increased smokers’ desire to quit, as many believethat smoking increases their risk of contracting COVID-19. Two-thirds of 1,500smokers surveyed in India expressed a desire to quit smoking for healthreasons. This trend is especially pronounced among a vast majority of youngersmokers who have attempted to quit smoking during the lockdown (smokers betweenthe ages of 18 and 24, 72%; smokers between the ages of 25 and 39, 69%).
“Reports of increased stress and anxiety are consistentamong the countries we polled, but the response in India particularly amongyounger tobacco and nicotine users stands out, with significant attempts toquit and adoption of healthier coping mechanisms,” said Dr. Derek Yach,president of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World. “We need more researchto understand why that is, and how we can encourage this type of behavior inother countries.”
The poll surveyed tobacco and nicotine users in countriesthat quickly moved to impose strong policies or guidance urging residents toremain at home. The Indian Home Ministry’s measures to slow the spread ofCOVID-19 that were announced on April 15 included a ban on the sale of liquor,tobacco, and gutka. The lockdown has been extended until May 18, and a new setof guidelines have been implemented for designated red, green, and orange zonesacross the country.
Tobacco and nicotine users adopt healthier copingmechanisms, bucking global trend Social distancing is resulting in a broadrange of negative mental health impacts, with significant numbers ofrespondents reporting suffering an adverse effect on their mental health(India, 36%; United States, 42%; United Kingdom, 39%; Italy, 24%; South Africa,24%). While a majority of respondents in India normally turn to tobacco ornicotine products as a coping mechanism for stress (58%), a significant amounthave decreased their use during social distancing (46%). This indicates thatsocial distancing has most likely not increased the smoking crisis locally.
Tobacco and nicotine users in India have proven more likelythan those in other countries to increase their use of healthy copingmechanisms during the COVID-19 crisis (physical exercise, 64%; breathingexercises, 58%; meditation, 58%; yoga, 55%). The tendency toward healthierhabits is more pronounced in larger cities (use of meditation in major metros,50%; use of meditation in Tier 2 cities, 40%; use of meditation in Tier 3cities, 37%).
Concern over health risks drives consideration of lessharmful tobacco alternatives Of combustible tobacco smokers, 48% believe thatsmoking increases the risk of either contracting COVID-19 or getting seriouslyill from it. As a consequence, conventional smokers are far more likely toconsider using different tobacco delivery methods, with half of users ofmultiple tobacco or nicotine products considering switching to smokelesstobacco exclusively. In non-metro Indian cities, the adoption of nicotinereplacement therapies (NRTs) was the most popular way to quit (Tier 2 cities,58%; Tier 3 cities, 47%).
In a notable generational shift, younger combustible tobaccosmokers have attempted to switch to smokeless tobacco (smokers between the agesof 18 and 24, 66%; smokers between the ages of 25 and 39, 77%). This trendamong younger people of attempting to move away from combustibles during thepandemic presents a positive path to smoking cessation.
Looking to the future Despite respondents’ view of therelationship between smoking, vaping, and COVID-19, the survey indicates thatthe pandemic presents an important teachable moment that has led some to focuson personal health and has even led some smokers to quit. Of smokers in India,66% indicated that they had considered quitting, and 63% had actually made aquit attempt. Still, these findings suggest that approximately 2.6 millionsmokers in India want to quit but have not identified a cessation strategy thatthey believe would work during the lockdown. Indeed, the reported discrepancybetween quitting consideration and quitting attempts highlights the need formore effective options for smokers.
The “COVID-19 State of Smoking Poll” was conductedonline by the Nielsen Company for the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World duringthe period starting April 4 and ending April 14, 2020. Survey respondents werefrom the United Kingdom, Italy, South Africa, India, and the United States (NewYork and California), were between the ages of 18 and 69 and were regularsmokers of combustible tobacco or users of nicotine vape products.
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World is an independent, USnonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with the purpose of improving global health byending smoking in this generation. The Foundation supports its mission throughthree core pillars: Health, Science and Technology; the AgriculturalTransformation Initiative; and Industry Transformation. The Foundation hasreceived contributions from Philip Morris International (PMI) in 2018 and 2019each in the amount of US$80 million. PMI has pledged to contribute $80 millionannually for the next ten years. Under the Foundation’s bylaws and pledgeagreement, PMI and the tobacco industry, generally, are precluded from havingany control or influence over how the Foundation spends its funds or focusesits activities. The Foundation’s acceptance of the contributions does notconstitute an endorsement by the Foundation of any of the pledger’s products. Formore information about the Foundation,
please visit www.smokefreeworld.org.
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