Smoking as an anticipatory rite of passage: some sociological hypotheses on health-related behaviour.

Recent evidence on differential rates of smoking between various social groups and over time is reviewed. It is suggested that some of these variations can be explained if smoking (together with certain other forms of behaviour) is regarded as an 'anticipatory rite of passage' used by subordinate social groups to demonstrate an approaching, or hoped-for, improvement in status. Some implications of this view for health education programmes are considered.