Alcohol abusers who want to quit smoking: Implications for clinical treatment

Although most alcohol abusers are dependent on nicotine, studies of such in dividuals have been scarce. Consequently, little information is available f or advising clients who wish to consider resolving both problems. Clients e ntering an outpatient alcohol treatment program who were also current smoke rs were asked about their temporal preferences for changing their alcohol a nd cigarette use. Over three-quarters of alcohol abusers who were also smok ers when asked said they would be willing to consider stopping smoking duri ng or after treatment for an alcohol problem. Individuals who were interest ed in quitting smoking cigarettes while in treatment for an alcohol problem were different from those who did not want to stop smoking, and such diffe rences may influence their ability to successfully address both problems to gether. Compared to those who preferred to change their drinking first then address their smoking, those who said they would be willing to address bot h problems (i.e. smoking and drinking) together in treatment were not only considerably more likely to think that quitting smoking would affect quitti ng drinking, but also more likely to be planning to quit smoking in the nex t six months. These results suggest that some individuals whose alcohol pro blems are not severe and who also smoke cigarettes will be more receptive t o a dual recovery approach than others. In the absence of research findings , health care practitioners who encounter individuals who drink heavily and smoke cigarettes should at a minimum explore the option of dual cessation with their clients. The clinical and research implications of the present r esults are discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights res erved.