Individual’s substance use behaviors are often influenced by psychosocial variables including injunctive and subjective social norms. Injunctive social norms are behaviors that society approves of whereas descriptive norms refer to how people actually behave. Use of cigarettes and nicotine vaping products (NVP) can be influenced by one’s social network. Furthermore, people are more likely to quit if others within their social network also quit smoking. In addition to one’s social network, societal and country level norms can also impact use of cigarettes and NVP and quit attempts. This study examines the potential impact of injunctive and descriptive social norms on trying NVPs and attempts to quit cigarette smoking amongst current smokers.
The study’s sample consisted of 2,290 young adult smokers in Canada, Australia, England, and the United States who had never used NVPs at baseline. Data was collected in three waves from 2016 to 2020. Injunctive and descriptive norms for smoking and NVP use were assessed at baseline. Injunctive norms were evaluated at the proximal interpersonal and distal societal level while descriptive norms were only assessed at the proximal interpersonal level. Participants were asked to report NVP use during follow-up surveys. Data was analyzed using Generalized Estimating Equations logistic regression models.
Results of the data analysis showed that baseline smokers who believed their social group approved of NVP use were more likely to have tried NVPs. Injunctive interpersonal norms around NVP use showed an independent association with NVP initiation. Of the measures of injunctive norms, only the interpersonal norm towards cigarette smoking was significantly and independently associated with subsequent quit attempts. The descriptive interpersonal norm toward NVP use was also significantly related to making smoking quit attempts. Baseline smokers who believed their social group disapproved of smoking were more likely to make quit attempts.
Takeaway: Injunctive and descriptive social norms towards cigarettes and nicotine vaping products may provide predictive value when assessing nicotine vaping product use and attempts to quit cigarette smoking.