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.

一項最新調查顯示，經濟放緩、退休金減少和失業率不斷上升讓美國人不堪重壓，一些煙民則因此增大了吸煙量或推遲了戒煙計劃。

調查顯示，在對經濟狀況感到擔憂的煙民中，四分之一的人稱心情憂慮使得他們每日的吸煙量增大，另有13%的人稱他們推遲了戒煙計劃。

總部位于華盛頓的反吸煙組織美國遺產基金會的總裁兼CEO謝麗爾•希爾頓在一份聲明中說：“全球股市動蕩給每個美國人都造成了一定程度的壓力。而那些正在戒煙的人壓力更大，在正常的環境下戒煙就已經十分困難了?！?/P>

這項在線調查由該機構委托哈里斯互動公司開展，共對2375名年齡在18歲以上的美國人進行了調查。

調查表明，女性煙民更易因擔心經濟而增加吸煙量，其中有31%的人如此；而男性煙民的這一比例為17%。

此外，較低收入（家庭年收入不到3.5萬美元）煙民的這一比例更高，38%的人稱由于擔心眼下的經濟狀況，他們現在抽得更兇。

同時，失業煙民受金融危機的影響也更大，其中有29%的人吸煙量增大，而這一比例在未失業煙民中為17%。

已經戒煙的人也難免受影響。調查顯示，7%的受訪者稱自己原本已戒煙，但由于心情焦慮，現在又開始復吸，另有9%的人稱他們由于經不住誘惑而犯了老毛病。

而眼下的經濟不景氣則讓很多煙民變得更加節約，五分之一的人稱，為了省錢，現在他們改抽便宜的牌子了。