[Smoking as a psychological and social problem].

Abstract

1. The ill-effects of smoking on health not only concern the smoker but the entire population living in the same society and sharing the economy. Smoking is associated with a general increase of costs involved with increased morbidity, lowering of the social product and excess mortality. 2. The main prolem in weaning from smoking is related to the origin of smoking which is in large measure unknown. Smoking habits should not be analyzed on an individual basis only. It represents a "minor addiction" with the origin within the society. This is the result of an analysis of motives leading to smoking. Social habits, examples, deprivation of senses, dullness, anxiety, stress, and smoking as a symbol of status play a major role. 3. Stress carries a dual risk, it encourages to smoking and it exerts direct effects an organ function. 4. Smoking is enhanced by its somatic effects which activate in turn again smoking. Weaning from smoking does not affect the origin of the addiction thereby remaining symptomatic treatment. 5. There is a constant replacement of old smokers with smokers originating in the young generation. Smoking habits have the tendency to spread out of the smoking population over the non-smokers. A combat against this infiltration can only be successful by creating new values and by producing a new habit of non-smoking.