Social Influences on SmokingThe tobacco industry is important to the economy. In 1991, global tobacco sales exceeded $59.8 billion, and by 1992 the industry was ranked among the top hundred advertisers (Pechmann and Ratneshwar, 1994). However, there is a high price to pay – socially, economically and personally – due to this industry. Annual mortality figures indicate that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. An estimated 390,000 people die each year from smoke-related illnesses, which is higher than the combined mortality from cocaine, crack cocaine, AIDS, homicide, suicide and alcohol abuse (Botvin , G., Baker, Botvin, E., Dusenbury, Cardwell, & Diaz, 1993).This article will review research that suggests that social influences on smoking result from several external factors that adolescents face on a daily basis - factors parental, peer pressure and advertising. Many current and former smokers began experimenting and using during their teenage years. Social influence is a central component of all models of adolescent substance abuse. It is hypothesized to be a direct predictor of experimentation and initiation with cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. One of the main theories used to describe this phenomenon is social control theory. This theory describes bonding factors, such as involvement, family attachment, professional or educational commitment, and belief in conventional social norms and values. Involvement refers to the idea that individuals who are deeply involved in nondeviant activities do not have time to become involved in deviant acts. Attachment to others who value positive norms tends to decrease the likelihood of deviation from the middle of the article......ner, EH, Diehr, W., & Psaty, B. (1995) . Application at school level of a social bond model to adolescent risk behaviors. Journal of School Health, 65, 63-69. Morgan, M. and Grube, J. (1989). Adolescent smoking: A developmental analysis of influences. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 7, 179-189.Newman, I. and Ward. J. (1989). The influence of parental attitude and behavior on smoking among young adolescents. Journal of School Health, 59, 150-153. Pechmann, C. and Ratneshwar, S. (1994). The effects of anti-smoking and cigarette advertising on young adolescents' perceptions of their smoking peers. Journal of Consumer Research, 21, 236-251. Sussman, S., Hahn, G., Dent, CW, Stacy, AW, Burton, D., & Flay, BR (1993). Naturalistic observation of tobacco consumption among adolescents. International Journal of Addictions, 28, 803-811.