RATIONALE FOR CIGARETTE-SMOKING AND FOR MENTHOLATION PREFERENCE IN COCAINE-DEPENDENT AND NICOTINE-DEPENDENT OUTPATIENTS

We asked 43 cocaine- and nicotine-dependent outpatients at a substance abuse clinic their reasons for combining cocaine and cigarette use, a nd for preferring either mentholated or nonmentholated cigarettes. Res ponses to open-ended questions asked during a semistructured interview were categorized by an analysis of expressed motives for cigarette sm oking. Responses that did not fit the categorization were analyzed sep arately in a qualitative design. Sedating, stimulating, or addictive e ffects were frequently stated as reasons for the combined use of cigar ettes with cocaine. Sedating or calming effects of cigarette smoking i ncluded reduction of cocaine-induced paranoia. Cocaine-substituting an d cocaine-enhancing effects of cigarette smoking were categorized as s timulating effects. Addictive effects included craving for cigarette s moking on its own or triggered by cocaine use. Sensorimotor or stimula ting effects were frequently stated as reasons for a preference for me ntholated or nonmentholated cigarettes. Sensorimotor effects of mentho l included taste, anesthetic, cooling. and decongestant properties. So me responses provided by our patient sample suggest a need for researc h on the effect of cigarette smoking on absorption of smoked cocaine. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.