LIGHTING UP: EXPLORING SENSORY EXPERIENCES OF TOBACCO SMOKING IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

In Singapore, smoking is an activity that is frowned upon by the state and in society due to the negative health complications associated with smoking. With the government’s plan to make Singapore a smoke-free nation, the smoking prevalence rate has plateaued at 12 per cent for the past five years. Studies have also shown that smoking prevalence is highest for young adults aged 18 to 29. This suggests that there are deeper underlying social mechanisms that compel young adults to smoke. This qualitative study attempts to employ a phenomenological framework to uncover and unpack these underlying social mechanisms. Through the lived, sensory experiences of smokers, this thesis shows that smoking is a meaningful activity for young adults to bond with their friends. Although they initially dislike the taste and smell of cigarettes, the overall pleasant experiences gained from smoking with their friends override the negative sensory experiences they have from smoking. This facilitates their foray into smoking. At the same time, smoking allows them to cope with the stress and pressures that they face in their social milieu as smoking and the concomitant sensory experiences allow for them to create a boundary and a safe space for them to compose themselves and to deal with what troubles them. This thesis therefore seeks to show a qualitative understanding of the community of young adult smokers, and to contribute to the corpus of literature in sensory anthropology and sociology.