Study: Over 25% of former smokers began smoking again to cope with stress from the Canterbury, NZ earthquakes

[Emily]

The study was done by Canterbury District Health Board researchers led by Professor Lutz Becker. It examined 1001 Christchurch residents and found that over 25% of former smokers began smoking again to cope with stress from the Canterbury earthquakes.

Though the study did not find that any respondents who had never smoked and then started to smoke in response to the earthquakes, a teen interviewed who moved from being an occasional smoker prior to the earthquakes to a regular smoker with a costly habit after the earthquakes is quoted as saying:

"Pretty much all my friends have started smoking after the earthquake. I know more teens that smoke now than don't."

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/quake-stress-causes-ex-smokers-light-up-again-5063438

Quake stress causes ex-smokers to light up again

Published: 5:42AM Wednesday September 05, 2012 Source: Fairfax
[snip]
CDHB smokefree manager Vivien Daley said it was important to have supplies of nicotine-replacement therapies available in case of a disaster.