PLANNING A SPIT TOBACCO CESSATION INTERVENTION - IDENTIFICATION OF BELIEFS ASSOCIATED WITH ADDICTION

We examine the relationship between beliefs regarding spit tobacco (ST ) use and addiction among 473 male college athletes who currently use ST. Beliefs were assessed using methods prescribed by the Theory of Re asoned Action. Independent associations between beliefs and addiction, defined by self-reported amount of ST used per week, were found via m ultivariate polychotomous regression modeling. We found that with incr easing addiction level, athletes were significantly more likely to bel ieve that ''ST helps me relax,'' ''ST keeps me alert,'' ''ST tastes go od,'' and ''ST is addicting.'' All athletes believed that clinicians, parents, and girlfriends do not approve of their ST use, but that male peers, coaches, and professional athletes are fairly indifferent abou t it. To increase quit rates, highly addicted ST users may require an intensive cessation program including nicotine replacement to overcome symptoms of withdrawal, oral substitutes for the enjoyable taste of S T, and the support of male peers and athletes who influence their soci al norms.