PRODUCT DISADOPTION - QUITTING SMOKING AS A DIFFUSION PROCESS

Smoking cessation has been examined from several perspectives, includi ng psychological, physiological, and pharmacological. The author rakes a sociological approach by examining quitting smoking as an adoption/ diffusion process. In particular adoption of quitting is seen as the e quivalent of disadoption of cigarettes. As such, quitting represents a diffusion process, a social phenomenon that is viewed in considerably clearer focus when quitting among adults is segregated from cigarette adoption among younger persons. Three 10-year age cohorts, now ages 4 5-54, 55-64, and 65-74, are examined over time to isolate quitting beh avior from smoking initiation during the teenage years. The results sh ow good conformance to both adoption and diffusion theories. These the ories, in turn, offer insights into limitations of the quitting proces s, forecasts of long-term quitting, and evaluation of segments of smok ers that are expected to exhibit varying degrees of resistance to quit ting. The author discusses implications for the communication of cessa tion messages and segmentation of potential quitters.