Do smokers feel they are at risk when seeing these labels? Study results conflict. Some researchers have found that smokers overestimate the health risks of smoking. Such results challenge the belief that people begin and continue smoking in large part because they do not accept the risks. Other scholars, however, who use different questions to measure risk, conclude that smokers either accurately estimate or underestimate their risks (Weinstein, 135). Such conflicting reports do not come as a surprise. It is often found that research results will vary significantly depending on a number of different factors.

             It is understood, however, that the majority of smokers clearly do acknowledge some risk, but they minimize the size of that risk and show a tendency to believe that the risk applies more to others than themselves. Bottom line: People do not want to believe that they will be the one impacted. Instead, it will be the guy/gal next door.

             The findings of Romer and Jamieson are not any more positive. They looked at studies that researched how anticigarette advertising counteracts the favorable images of smoking pushed by the tobacco industry. They stated, ".even if anticigarette advertising increases perceived risk, the overwhelming influence of tobacco industry advertising and promotion acts to increase favorable images and feelings associated with smoking. These images and feelings then reduce the perception of risk.".

             Levy adds to these grim statistics. He states that despite the mass media's extensive coverage of the findings of the U.S. Surgeon General and other research, not too many people (only 16 percent according to an American Cancer Society survey) believe that there is a correlation between cigarette smoking and lung cancer. This can be the result of a number of different factors. Perhaps the mind rejects the message or, never receives it. In the past 10 years, over 100 billion cigarettes have been sold domestically.