Cigarette smoking cessation and alcohol treatment

Cigarette smoking is common among problem drinkers and recovering alcoholics but most cessation research has not addressed this special population of smokers. Confidential survey data were collected from over 700 alcoholism counselors and medical personnel in residential and outpatient chemical dependency units (CDUs) in Nebraska to identify the quit smoking methods these experts recommend and to assess their personal experiences with smoking cessation. A total of 334 respondents (45% of the group) self-identified as a recovering alcoholic, 51 (7%) as a problem drinker, and 350 (48%) as having no history of alcohol problems. Over 63% of all respondents were former or current smokers. The most frequently recommended quitting methods for people still in treatment for alcohol problems were relying on a support group (69%), adhering to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) principles (64%), and quitting “cold turkey” (45%). In an adjusted logistic regression model, quitting “cold turkey” and relying on the principles of AA significantly increased a respondent's odds of personally becoming a successful tobacco quitter. We conclude that many recovering alcoholics and problem drinkers can successfully quit smoking and should be encouraged to use abstinence coping skills learned in alcohol treatment.