“Because I’m a considerate smoker.” Examination of smokers’ management on stigma and spoiled identities.

• Main Author: Ng, Katherine Gui Li.
• Other Authors: Zhou Wubiao
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Sociology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/51616
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Tobacco denormalization policies have been a key focus of government attention to stamp out smoking. As Singapore successfully reduced its smoking prevalence rates over the years, social acceptance of smoking became severely eroded and both smoking and smokers have now been perceived as socially unacceptable and undesirable in society. Drawing on a qualitative study of interviews with 17 current and ex-smokers living in Singapore, this report examines the ways in which smokers interpret and negotiate with tobacco denormalization policies that have increasingly problematized the smoking behaviors in society. Overall, though study participants were agreeable to the policies, apparent in their accounts were the high degree of perceived stigma attached to smoking and their identities as smokers. Consequently, despite continuing to smoke, participants exhibited acts of being considerate smokers and/or concealed their smoking status so as to regain full acceptance in society. This study concludes by underlining the importance to consider the implications, ethics and values in utilizing tobacco denormalization policies in the pursuit of public health.