Table 3.

External factors influencing smoking and smoking cessation, from the participants

External-Initiation

Family influence

‘I started smoking because my family smoke[d].’ – Mandarin Male

Social pressures

‘My friends smoke[d], so I followed them. It’s easier to fit in and we would have more common topics [of conversation].’ – Mandarin Male

‘I started to smoke socially with my friends and not really because of stress.’ – Mandarin Female

Work environment

‘I began to socialize at the time that I was learning how to cut hair. All hairstylists who are male like to smoke. When we were young, we wanted to fit in.’ – Cantonese Male

‘The US army provided each participant [with] free cigarettes.’ – Mandarin Male

External-Continuation

Socialization tool

‘I am not addicted to it [smoking]. It's just a social tool for me.’ – Mandarin Male

‘When I introduce things to [new] clients, it's like a conversation starter and takes away the barrier to meeting people.’ – Mandarin Male

‘Having a chat and smoking, it is always good conversation.’ – Cantonese Male

External-Cessation

Government and regulations

‘You cannot send all smokers to the jail, right?’ – Mandarin Male

‘I think the most effective way [to get smokers to quit] is to stop producing cigarettes.’ – Mandarin Male

Educational materials

‘I watched [a] smoking cessation video in high school and I stopped smoking after then. The video showed a picture of the lung of a smoker…it's very shocking and scaring.’ – Mandarin Female

‘One time I saw a video clip of black lungs and that made me want to quit at that moment, but after that I smoked again.’ – Cantonese Male

Family affection

‘An effective way [to quit] is to use family affection. Showing smokers the harm they bring to their families and friends, can be better than showing them the harm to themselves.’ – Mandarin Male

‘[Smokers] don't feel guilty for themselves, but for their families.’ – Mandarin Male