Social Smoking in Trinity

Who smokes socially in Trinity?

21% of Trinity students smoke socially with over half of those who smoke on campus, starting after they turned 18. Social smoking is defined as smoking on a non-daily basis that occurs mostly in social situations.

Social smoking isn't well measured in third level or nationally. Trinity undergraduates and staff published this paper as part of Healthy Trinity's Living Lab. What do you think? Did we get it right? When you're on a night out, are 21% of the people with you likely to smoke socially? Does that percentage sound correct, too high or too low?

What's the harm in social smoking?

As usual, with smoking, there's no good news. Social smokers are 38% more likely to die prematurely than non-smokers. And the 2014 US Surgeon General’s Report indicated that even brief exposure to tobacco may lead to increased risk of cardio-vascular disease.

How long do you plan to smoke socially?

One of the problems with social smoking is that people tend to smoking socially for years. If you're a social smoker, have you thought about how long you intend to be one? People who smoke socially have almost as much difficulty quitting as daily smokers. Also, being a social smoker makes you much more likely to become a daily smoker.

Social Smoking and the Environment

Many Trinity students are very environmentally conscious. They spend all week recycling or when they're buying clothes they avoid fast fashion. But on a night out, it doesn't even occur to them that by smoking they're contributing to an industry that destroys the planet. Read more here.