Research Note: COVID-19 risk and smoking behaviors

Several studies have found erratic changes in smoking behaviors since the start of the pandemic. Increased use has been found in several studies, but so has decreased use. Similarly, interest in quitting has gone up according to some researchers, while others have found it has gone down. A new study in Addictive Behaviors Reports separated out the risk of COVID-19 susceptibility and severity–and also whether increases in susceptibility and severity were general or linked to their smoking. According to these researchers, when individuals thought that their smoking might cause worse COVID-19 outcomes, smoking went up. While this may seem counterintuitive, researchers have seen this effect in other areas (e.g., during pregnancy, after a new diagnosis). By contrast, if the respondents thought they might contract severe COVID generally, then their smoking reduced. Susceptibility did not seem to be associated with greater use or greater interest in quitting.

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