Drinking And Smoking In Students

Drinking And Smoking In StudentsThis chapter reviews the literature in relation to topeing and sess behaviour. It to a fault looks at the concurrent use of intoxicantic drink and tobacco within student life. For the purpose of this study the author had two research objectives, which were, to explore the reasons students consume alcoholic beverage and smoke tobacco and to investigate the descent between both.Numerous studies have shown an association between cig artte grass and alcohol alcoholism. The National Institute of Health (2010) lay down that even small amounts of alcohol boost the pleasurable effects of nicotine, inducing people to smoke more(prenominal) when drinking alcoholic beverages. Medical profession have highlighted that the alcohol dose subordinate effect increases the urge to smoke.Data from epidemiological studies have shown that people who drink alcohol are more likely to smoke and the heavier the drinking pattern, the heavier the hummer. (King, 2005) ( Page number)Findings from Kings study (2005) portend that take urge is higher after consuming four alcohol drinks in comparability to the lower urges after consuming two alcohol drinks, and increases were not observed after consuming a placebo beverage In other words, The greater the alcohol consumption, the greater the urge to smoke (Page Number)Research has signifyd that links to alcohol addiction may be heredity. Findings from the Granada study believe that heredity may be responsible for almost 50% of the likelihood that a person pass on blend in addicted to alcohol. Alcoholism and Drug Addiction group whom carried out the study at the University of Granada revealed that the lack of beta-endorphins, which is hereditary, marks a genetic weakness to alcoholism.The studies findings indicate that an individuals brain with low beta-endorphin levels becomes accustomed to the presence of an external surplus, diminishing its own supply and triggering dependence on the external sour ce -in this case, alcohol.Beta-endorphin is a kind of morphine released by the brain in response to several situations, such as pain. In this way, beta-endorphins can be considered an endogenous pain reliever to numb or dull pains. According to Jos Rico Irles (Year and page number) head of research at the university, although alcohol consumption does not affect all people in the aforesaid(prenominal) way, differences in beta-endorphin levels make some subjects more vulnerable to alcohol. Therefore, they are more likely to become alcohol dependent.1.2 Alcohol BehaviourAccording to Alcohol effect Ireland (2010), over unrivaled in four accident and emergency cases have alcoholrelated injuries. Alcohol is also a factor in angiotensin converting enzyme in four traumatic brain injuries. Research carried out by Alcohol Action Ireland found that alcohol related deaths increased between 1995 and 2004. fermentation alcohol (found in beer, wine and spirits) is the most commonly used alcoh ol consumed by humans. (International Centre for Alcohol Policies) According to Gossop two thirds of the US population drink alcohol. The fairish American spends more than 5% of their annual budget on alcohol, consuming 2.6 gallons of spirits, 2.2 gallons of wine, and 26.6 gallons of beer every year. Almost half of the UKs population over the age of 16 drink alcohol. (Gossop, 2007).An Irish survey carried out by clique indicates high-risk alcohol use is prevalent among college students, to the extent that profound binge drinking is seen as the average of college life. The results from this survey demonstrate that this drinking culture is promoted in college, often with heavy drinkers being praised as die-hard revellers instead of being critiqued. The CLAN goes on to rural area that Irish third-level students spend more money a month on alcohol than they do on food and it clarifies speculation that regular binge drinking can wreck havoc on academic performance, as well as on soc ial relationships.Controversially although Ireland has the highest rate of non-drinkers in Europe, (20%, in comparison to Germanys 5%) it also has one of the highest rates of alcohol consumption, at present topping the poll for binge-drinking statistics. (Alcohol-statistics-in-europe.com)According to Hope, Dring and Dring (2003) there were both positive and negative reasons as to why students drink. Positive reasons such as sociability relaxation and enjoyment occupy the dominant number of reasons people drink. One in four students describe having a drink with there meals, of which more females than males reported such a practice. However one in ten students used alcohol to forget worries and one in twenty used alcohol when they were anxious or depressed. More males than females said they drank just to be polite. Hope et al (2003)1.3 Tobacco BehaviourThe valet de chambre Health Organisation (2010) domains that tobacco is one of the greatest causes of preventable and premature dea ths in human history and that it kills up to half of its users. The annual death buzzer of more than five million could rise to more than eight million by 2030 unless urgent action is taken to control the tobacco epidemic. According to the WHO, dope is estimated to be the cause of approximately 7000 deaths in Ireland each year, chiefly by illness such as lung cancer, heart disease, stroke and emphysema. Smoking can also cause gum disease, bad breath, poor skin and yellow teeth. (WHO, 2010)According to Chick Cantwell, (2001) evidence suggests that smoking is mainly initiated originally by teenagers. The onset is ordinarily the result of one or many of the following factors curiosity, assertion of independence, rebelliousness, stress, and perhaps more than any other factor by peer pressure (Chick Cantwell, 2001).The CLAN surveys research findings show that everyone knows smoking is bad for your wellness, but there seems to be many harmful effects to which many smokers all around the world are still oblivious. For example a survey in china found that only 68 percent of current smokers in China believe that smoking leads to lung cancer and only 36 percent believe that smoking causes coronary heart disease (Hope, et al. 2003).Another survey carried out in Britain showed that a shock 99% of woman surveyed were unaware of the direct link between smoking and cervical cancer. (Gossop, 2007)1.4 Alcohol and tobacco go hand in handMckee, Hinson, Rounsaville, Petrelli (2004) state that although research has shown that many young people dabble with substances such as alcohol and tobacco from as young as 13, substance use in relation to tobacco and alcohol has been reported to peak in early adulthood. The college years appear to be a time of increased risk for smoking initiation and movement into regular patterns of use. College smokers are more likely to be non-daily smokers, also cognize as party smokers. Alcohol and tobacco are known to be strongly related behaviou rs and the association between both substances seems to get stronger with the heavier use of either substances. Recent studies have found that smoking urges increase cursorily following heavy drinking, even among light smokers (King Epstein, 2005)Nichter, Nicthter, Carkoglu and Lloyd-Richardson (2010) suggests that virtually every college event and social occasion revolves around drinking and there is a significant characteristic between party time and normal time, According to Nichter, et al (2010) (page number) parties were viewed as places to kick back, relax and chill and where everyday rules for behaviour didnt apply. The majority of party smokers believed that smoking eyepatch drinking was not really smoking and was therefore socially acceptable. This research highlights the commonality of smoking bums as a behaviour that goes along with drinking. They found that some party smokers described drinking and smoking as going in concert like peanut butter and jelly or like tak e out and cookies.Nitcher explains at college parties and particularly in your freshman years, center on is on creating an image, getting noticed and also trying to fit in and be cool. For college males, smoking while having a drink helped a guy look really manly and gave off a bad boy image. Among females there is a powerful centering on being liked and a need to engage in similar behaviours to ones friends (Nichter et al., 2010).There are numerous functions of smoking and drinking described by Nitcher et al. (2010). One of which is Social Facilitation. A key reason for having a cigarette with a drink at parties is because smoking is usually done outside. Having a cigarette provides a reason to go outdoors with an individual or a group, therefore, the co-consumption of alcohol and tobacco aids social interaction. Alcohol diminishes ones level of willpower crowing an individual the confidence to do things they would not normally do. The best crack at parties is usually outdoors s o when individuals go outside to socialise with peers, instead of doing nothing, they are faced with the opportunity to join in with the rest of the crowd. Nichter et al. (2010) observed that when males were drinking with females it was sometimes difficult to maintain a conversation, but smoking a cigarette with a female, who was also smoking, seemed to smoothen out the conversation. One male interviewee notedIts just easier to talk when Ive been drinking and smoking. A cigarette honestly just gives you a buzz and boosts your self confidence. It also gives you a minute to get your thoughts straight.Several party smokers described how the urge to smoke just comes when drinking. Nitcher et al. (2010) found that for novitiate smokers, after a couple of drinks, smoking cigarettes became physically easier to do. They tended to suffer less from throat irritation and coughed less. Drinking and smoking together also washed out the cigarettes bad taste. This research also found that anothe r useful function of the concurrent use of alcohol and tobacco is the physical sensations experienced. Alcohol and smoking together create a buzz that is unattainable when either substance is taken separately. However, having a cigarette, while drinking, can also help an individual feel calmer, relaxed and more sober.Research has shown that despite the amount of social smoking party smokers might be involved in most party smokers did not want to become regular or real smokers. In fact, they believed that they were at little risk of dependency upon alcohol and tobacco. As one woman in a focus group commented People like me and my friends dont get addicted to either substance (Nichter et al., 2010) Given this nave belief among students, that they were not at risk for transitioning from social smoking to more regular patterns of use, it seems critical to educate students about the possibility of addiction, even if smoking at low levels.1.5 ConclusionThe above research indicates that th ere is a correlation between student drinking and smoking and it would appear that alcohol consumption can often lead to students use of tobacco. This is a prevalent health concern which the proposed research aims to explore. Research availability concerning levels and concurrent use of alcohol and tobacco is limited in an Irish context. The proposed research aims to highlight this relationship and