Article Review

A REVIEW OF RESEARCH ON THE EFFECTS OF RELIGION ON ADOLESCENT

TOBACCO USE

This article was narrated by Authors Andrew J. Weaver, Kevin J, Flannelly And Adrienne L.
Strock. The objective of this research is mainly focus on the effects of religion on adolescent
tobacco use. This article was published by Libra Publishers, Inc3089C Clairemont Dr., PMB
383, San Diego, CA 92117. The full citation of this article is ADOLESCENCE, Vol. 40, No.
160, Winter 2005. This authors has made a Review on 22 study papers that specifically
investigated the Effects Of Religion On Adolescent Tobacco Use Published Between 1990
And 2003.
To initiate a research there must be a valid reason or purpose. The authors notice how the
records of death cause by tobacco use in United States America (USA). The authors group
realised that Tobacco use is the chief preventable cause of premature disease and death in the
United States. It cause 1 out of every 5 deaths and the annual health care expenditure for
treating smoking related illnesses was estimated at $ 274 for each American adult in 1993.
Every year more than 400,000 Americans die from smoking-related illnesses. Smoking kills
more Americans annually than AIDS, automobile accidents, suicide, murder, fire, alcohol and
illegal drugs.
Relevant articles were retrieved and their methods and result were assessed to examine the
nature of and extent of the reported effects. Authors belief that religious teaching will give a
significant effects on cigarette smokers. By instilling religious knowledge and value on
smokers or substance abusers , can slow down their dependency on tobacco use.
Religion was inversely related to all measure of tobacco use (lifetime, occasional and regular
use) but the findings suggest religions primary effect is its prohibitive influence against ever
using tobacco. Authors found that, adolescence in the age group of 11 to 15 years is the
critical life stage for prevention of tobacco use or even for other substance abuse because this
is stage where adolescents in intermediate primary school and it is uncommon for tobacco
use to begin after high school. Tobacco use is first substance being used by youngsters before
they become addicted to alcohol and other illicit drugs. In other word, tobacco use becoming
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a gateway drug for other illicit substance. The authors found that, minor have even easier
access to cigarettes via the internet because many internet vendors have a weak or
nonexistent age-verification procedures. Youngsters even managed to purchase cigarettes
using credit cards in USA.
Greater religious involvement was found to be associated with lower risk of use of tobacco
and other addictive substance. During this research was performed, the authors realised that
religious high school seniors were less likely to smoke and if the have a desire to take up
smoking habit, they start at an older age. Those who attends religious service weekly and
those believed religion very important more likely delay their first use of cigarettes compared
to those who dont belief in that. Catholic, Mormon, Jewish, Baptist and Protestant student
were all less likely to smoke than the non-religious students.
The method approached by authors are that, an electronic search was conducted on the
Psychological Associations database (PsycINFO) and the National Library of Medicines
database (PubMed) for article published between 1990 until 2003. The search produced 163
articles. The abstract of each article was scrutinise by two judges to select or reject that article
for further research. If the either judge think that the abstract provided insufficient
information, to make decision, the version of that article will retrieved for clarification of
facts. The final selection of articles for the study was made by mutual consent after each
articles was read by two judges.
This search had produced 29 studies that specifically investigated the effect of religion on
adolescent tobacco use. The age of study participants ranged between 8 and 19 years. The
sample saiz of the studies varied greatly from 53 to over 17,000 participants. Some studies
had larger sample. The majority of studies were sample size

between 1,000 to 5,000

participants. The number of studies on religion and tobacco use increased between the year
1990 to 1996 compared to the year 1997 until 2003. All participants were measured of their
religious beliefs, religious affiliation and involvement or participating in religious base
activities (Table 1).

This table indicates the religious dimensions covered by these composite and multiple
measures of religion. The authors in this research made a reference to one of the article
which has specifically asked participants : How effective do you think religious advice can
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preventing minors or youngster from smoking ? The responses to this question was positive
that religious knowledge and advices had a significant effect to the participants. In all, 22 of
29 studies in the sample found at least one significant effect of religion on tobacco use. The
authors also made reveal about the public awareness on this study. Majority of studies carry
out during that time period were publish in medical journals and specialty journals which is
related to addiction and substance abuse.
Three categories of tobacco users or smokers were commonly identified, the categories are:
regular use, lifetime use and occasional use. Lifetime use is measure of whether individuals
had ever used tobacco in their lives . Occasional use is sometimes use is referred as
experimental use. Regular use was the most common among the study participants (Table 2).
Reference should be made to Table 3 which can concluded that, of the 43 analyses of
religious effect conducted in the 29 studies, religion was found to be significantly related to
reduced tobacco use.
Nonnemaker, McNeeley, and Blum (2003) reported somewhat different effect for what they
called public and private domains of religion. The public domain encompassed religious
attendance and participation, where the private domain included the frequency of praying
and the importance of religion. Both private and public religion were found to protect
individuals from ever smoking cigarettes., but they were less consistent in their effects on
occasional and regular use. Private religion had a significant effect only on regular use.
There is an inverse relationship between religious involvement and tobacco use or substance
abuse. The finding of this research support that religious involvement protect youngster from
risk taking behaviour, particularly smoking habit and substance abuse. Religious attendance
and participation along with positive peer role models appeared to have the greatest
protective effects. Positive parental religious beliefs may also mediate and neutralize other
risk factors as well as enhance family resilience in the face of stressful events. The researcher
encouraging young people to be involved in religious life, so that can avoid them from
tobacco use. Faith based intervention programs need to address teen who has desire for
smoking or substance abuse.
This research journal can be recommended to read. The idea, suggestion and finding
from this research paper can be used to conduct a research in Malaysia. Tobacco use or
smoking habit among Malaysian are at alarming stage. Minors, youngster, adult without
gender separation do smoking. Availability of cigarettes on street make easy for the minors
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and youngster get them easily. Minors can easily get loose cigarettes (rokok batang ) from
majority of this provision shop. The shops dont obey the present law which prohibit them
selling cigarettes to youngsters. The Malaysian Government has taken several approach to
bring down the increasing number of smoker in this country, but it doesnt produced any
good outcome. As this researcher concluded earlier, smoking cigarettes or tobacco use is
gateway drug for youngster to be addicted to alcohol and illicit drug later, the government
should instil religious value in their effort to tackle this problem.

Thank you.

COMPARATIVE STUDY

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A Comparative study was carry out, to meet the requirement for course ; Master Of
Counselling (Substance Abuse ) at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai,
Negeri Sembilan. The code for the course is ABD 7103 Etiology Substance Abuse. To fulfil
this purpose, two good articles was identified . Both article were mainly discussing about
tobacco use or cigarettes smoking.
The detail of the selected article are as bellow:i)

A Review Of Research On The Effects Of Religion On Adolescent Tobacco Use

written by Authors Andrew J. Weaver, Kevin J, Flannelly And Adrienne L. Strock.

ii)

Management Of Substance Abuse written by Authors Caroline J. Barangan, MD,

Elizabeth M.Alderman, MD

In the first article, authors belief that religious teaching will give a significant effects on
cigarette smokers. By instilling religious knowledge and value on smokers or substance
abusers , can slow down their dependency on tobacco use. Greater religious involvement was
found to be associatedwith lower risk of use of tobacco and other addictive substance.
Authors realised that religious high school seniors were less likely to smoke and if the have
a desire to take up smoking habit, they start at an older age.
Those who attends religious service weekly and those believed religion very important more
likely delay their first use of cigarettes compared to those who dont belief in that. The
authors of this research paper has identified several risk and protective factors that cause in
increase or decrease the habit of tobacco or smoking habit among the youth or adolescent.
Religion to be one of these protective factors.
Positive parental religious beliefs may also mediate and neutralize other risk factors as well
as enhance family resilience in the face of stressful events. The researcher encouraging young
people to be involved in religious life, so that can avoid them from tobacco use.
In second article the authors believed that, substance abuse among adolescents continues to
be a serious problem. It affects all age groups, including the newborn of the addicted mother.
Tobacco use has serious long-term effects on health. Despite this awareness, preadolescents
and young adolescents are particularly drawn to its use. surveys have shown that children
initiate cigarette use generally before 13 years of age.
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The researcher of the opinion that, the best treatment for substance abuse is prevention during
each health supervision visit. Prevention can begin as early as the prenatal visit, during which
the parent(s) family history of substance abuse and their own history can be reviewed and
appropriate counseling undertaken. The dangers of environmental tobacco and risk of harm to
the child by caregivers who are impaired by substance use should be discussed. In early
childhood, parental modeling of and exposure to alcohol and tobacco use through the media
can be discussed.
The school-age visits are appropriate venues to encourage parents to begin to talk with their
children about substance abuse. One technique for parents is to initiate such conversations
when tobacco and alcohol use are observed on television as advertising or by characters in
movies. The parent can ask the child what he or she thinks about what is being shown, why
the substance is being used, if any schoolmates smoke or drink alcohol, if he or she ever has
been offered a cigarette or alcohol, and how he or she feels about cigarettes and alcohol use.
This will provide the parent with a framework for discussing substance use: possible dangers
associated with substance use, responsible ways of dealing with friends who drink alcohol or
smoking cigarettes. This discussion can lead to subsequent conversations about other drugs,
such as marijuana, inhalants, and hard drugs. Doctors can provide parents with advice,
written information, and resources. Such information also can be disseminated outside the
office through talks to school, religious, and community groups.
Malaysian Government has taken several approach to bring down the increasing number of
smoker in this country. For example, Ministry Of Health has came out with campaign slogan
Tak Nak (No To Cigarettes ) to create awareness to public from stop smoking. The
government also increased the cigarette price as a one of the prevention method to reduce
smokers. Is that all methods and effort taken by this government are really stop from
generating new smokers ? Im very sure is not, al-though at this point of time I could not
proofed it statistically.
The government should apply more holistic approach to curb this life threatening phenomena.
For this to happen, socio-spiritual approach will more appropriate. Faith based intervention
programs need to address to curb adolescent who has desire for smoking or substance abuse.
Religious approach and counselling approach should be incorporated so that a better
intervention plan can be developed and structured.
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Thank You

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