Many of the responses of those surveyed reflect the findings of prior research on smoking habits and attitudes of college students. According to Snell (2005), the first stage of becoming a smoker is attitudinal, in that one comes to view smoking as resulting in something
158 Chrestomathy: Volume 8, 2009 positive. While a majority of smokers reported that smoking does not make someone appear attractive, sophisticated, or mature, the percentages of smokers who reject these views are much smaller than the percentages of non-smokers who feel the same way. Smokers were also less likely to report that secondhand smoke is as dangerous as smoking and that one should not smoke in proximity to children. While the overall view of smokers toward smoking was not positive, it was less negative than that of the respondents who do not smoke, thus reflecting Snell’s findings to some degree.