Changes in cigarette smoking and coffee drinking after alcohol detoxification in alcoholics

Aims. To assess the changes in cigarette smoking and coffee drinking after alcohol detoxification in alcoholics. Design. Evaluation at admission and a n average 16 days following discharge. Setting. Alcohol detoxification inpa tient programme. Participants. Seventy-three alcohol dependent (DSM-III-R) inpatients. Measurements. Average number of cigarettes and of cups of coffe e per day; urine cotinine level. Smokers were classified as moderate an the basis of consuming fewer than 30 cigarettes per day at the time of admissi on; heavy smokers were those who smoked 30 cigarettes per day or more. Find ings. As a group, the smokers (N = 58) did not significantly change their c igarette consumption and there was no change in urine cotinine level. Heavy smokers (N = 34), however, significantly decreased their cigarette consump tion, but urine cotinine was unchanged. Moderate smokers (N=24) significant ly increased their cigarette consumption but urine cotinine was not signifi cantly changed. All patients-non-smokers, moderate and heavy smokers-signif icantly increased their coffee intake. Conclusions. The results suggest tha t heavy smokers may react to alcohol cues and thus reduce smoking activity when sober. Moderate smokers may increase their smoking rate to cope with a lcohol abstinence. These changes appear only to reflect a behavioural adjus tment, without modification of patients' nicotine-seeking. Alcoholics may i ncrease their coffee intake to cope with alcohol abstinence.