Home⇛Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives⇛vol. 3 no. 3 (2025)

Graphic Health Warning on Cigarette Packs through the Lens of Young Adult Smokers: A Phenomenological Study

Josiah Angelique M. Gannaban | Shaira Gayle R. Agustin | Zhea Marie E. Annang | Andrei Nicholas B. Borja | Alessandra Marie M. Cruz | Sheena Kristina S. Espejo | Jonalyn P. Santos

Discipline: social sciences (non-specific)

 

Abstract:

This research study aimed to explore the lived experiences of young adult cigarette smokers as they saw graphic health warning images on cigarette packets. Colaizzi's descriptive phenomenological approach was employed to gain deeper insights into understanding the experiences of the chosen demographic. The study was conducted within the ten most populous villages, also known as barangays, in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Philippines, utilizing a purposive sampling technique with consideration for the "data saturation" principle. A semi-structured interview guide prepared in Filipino, English, Ybanag, Ytawes, and Ilocano was used as the research instrument. Through these interviews, involving 15 participants, four overarching themes emerged and were meticulously structured: smoking as a means of stress relief for the smokers, negative emotional responses are evoked by the graphic health warnings on cigarette packs, the graphic health warnings showcase the adverse effects of smoking, and difficulties of young adult smokers towards smoking cessation. The findings emphasized the complex factors that influence the smoking behavior of young adults and the challenges of quitting, especially due to the role of smoking as a stress relief mechanism. While graphic health warnings can raise awareness and elicit adverse emotional reactions among young adults, they may not be sufficient to promote cessation. Hence, combining this strategy with stress relief or effective coping interventions may be needed to improve cessation success for this age group.



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