Why Does Intelligence Affect Smoking Differently in the US?

[cronus]

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the ... -in-the-us

Why Does Intelligence Affect Smoking Differently in the US and the UK?
by Satoshi Kanazawa in The Scientific Fundamentalist

Several recent studies show that more intelligent Americans are more likely to smoke cigarettes, consistent with the prediction of the Novel Hypothesis, whereas more intelligent Brits are less likely to smoke cigarettes, contrary to the prediction of the Hypothesis. Why does intelligence have opposite effects on smoking in the US and in the UK?
The true and honest answer is that I don’t know, but I can speculate. Among the possible differences between the United States and the United Kingdom, the public anti-smoking campaign has been far more aggressive and blatant in the United Kingdom than in the United States. For example, in the United States, each pack of cigarettes carries the Surgeon General’s (relatively tame and clinical) warning (“Smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and may complicate pregnancy”) in small print, on the side of the package. In the United Kingdom, the warnings are much more blatant and graphic (“Smoking kills,” “Smokers die younger,” “Smoking may reduce the blood flow and causes impotence,” “Smoking can cause slow and painful death”) in extremely large print, in front of the package. Note that death is never mentioned explicitly in the Surgeon General’s warning in the US, but is frequently mentioned in the UK warnings. (When I saw the warning “Smoking kills” for the first time in 2003, on a pack of cigarettes that my LSE colleague was smoking, I thought it was a joke.

(continued)

[Trinity]

I don't think intelligence or the size of packet warnings have anything to do with smoking.

[pErvinalia]

I think the packet warnings do. There's studies every now and then apparently show it. Australia now has (or is about to have) plain packaging - i.e. no corporate logos or designs - and has giant pictures of autopsied necrotic brains and lungs etc on the package.

[cronus]

I think the packet warnings do. There's studies every now and then apparently show it. Australia now has (or is about to have) plain packaging - i.e. no corporate logos or designs - and has giant pictures of autopsied necrotic brains and lungs etc on the package.

That's what you need to fight the obesity epidemic.

[Trinity]

I think the packet warnings do. There's studies every now and then apparently show it. Australia now has (or is about to have) plain packaging - i.e. no corporate logos or designs - and has giant pictures of autopsied necrotic brains and lungs etc on the package.

I guess I have no research to back me up, only my own and fellow smokers' opinions. I am fully aware that what I do is harmful to me and seeing graphic, large pictures of probable health problems on packets just doesn't influence me in any way to stop. I am addicted, not physically, but psycholocically and until I have the right mind set to stop, I just won't.

[Audley Strange]

Heres's my speculation, the reason is because evil tobacco demons that hate the British.

[Trinity]

Heres's my speculation, the reason is because evil tobacco demons that hate the British.

Yes, and they're inexorably killing us off so that they can take more post mortem pictures to display ineffectually on their insidiously evil products. Or maybe Lord Hades is a bit bored.

[Audley Strange]

Yeah if you're going to indulge in sheer speculation, go nuts!

[Trinity]

Yeah if you're going to indulge in sheer speculation, go nuts!

My forte *tea*

[Jason]

The warnings need to be more explicit and less 'clinical' to get the message to the 'more intelligent' people?

Fascinating and logical too.

[Robert_S]

Intelligent people n the US are more susceptible to death wishes?

[Hermit]

Initially I thought that was quite a mystery. A minute later the mystery was solved. It's simple: They're Americans.

[laklak]

It's obvious, innit? Yerapeen intelligent people are far superior to 'Murikan intelligent people. Like mustard.

[Hermit]

It's obvious, innit? Yerapeen intelligent people are far superior to 'Murikan intelligent people. Like mustard.

You're pretty smart for an American.

[Tyrannical]

The other interpretation is the ridiculous over the top British anti-smoking campaign is a failure and not taken seriously which is why smoking is high among the lower class. Public service campaigns are meant to appeal to and educate "poor dumb people", so you can judge the success of the campaign by the affect on their target audience. Since intelligent people are not the target audience of a the campaign, I would not assume the campaign as the cause of the difference.