Work

Addiction, cigarette smoking, and voluntary control of action: Do cigarette smokers lose their free will?

Year: 2017

Type: review

Abstract: Opinions differ widely as to whether addicts lose the ability to control their behavior and employ free will. This article reviews empirical findings regarding multiple questions relevant to the issue of free will among addicted smokers: Is smoking voluntary behavior? Can people quit smoking? Why don't people quit smoking? Why do smokers relapse when they try to quit? Do addicted smokers suffer from irresistible cravings? Are there some people who cannot quit? Are there conditions that make resistance impossible? Why would they smoke knowing it can kill them? The evidence reviewed here seems most consistent with the view that smokers retain control over their actions but cannot easily stop having frequent desires to smoke.

Source: Addictive Behaviors Reports

DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2017.01.003

Author: Roy F. Baumeister

Institutions: Florida State University, The University of Queensland

Language: English

Topic: Smoking Behavior and Cessation

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,330