Research suggests that living in dangerous neighborhoods can lead to higher smoking rates among residents. This is due to feelings of powerlessness and mistrust, which can promote maladaptive coping behaviors like smoking. Neighborhood vigilance plays a role in smoking rates and the severity of problems faced when trying to quit. Residents of less secure neighborhoods often experience challenges in quitting smoking and negative beliefs about abstinence. The study highlights the need for smoking cessation efforts that consider social factors like neighborhood vigilance. The findings were reported in the journal Substance Use & Misuse. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides more information on smoking and health.
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Unsafe neighborhoods could drive up smoking rates
