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Unaided smoking cessation among smokers in treatment for alcohol dependence.

Karam-Hage M, Pomerleau CS, Pomerleau OF, Brower KJ

Nicotine Research Program, Univ. of Michigan Department of Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. maherakh@umich.edu

To investigate the possible impact of treatment of alcohol dependence on smoking, we studied 144 smokers in an alcohol treatment center for whom 6-month data were available. Of those, 18 reported not smoking at 6 months. No significant differences in age, gender, or race were observed between quitters and continuing smokers. Quitters at 6 months were significantly more likely to be low dependent smokers than were continuing smokers and were significantly more likely to report no drinking during the past 28 days at the end of 1 month's treatment (93%) than continuing smokers (62%). These findings suggest that quitting smoking may be associated with low levels of nicotine dependence and favorable alcohol treatment response in alcoholic smokers.

Published 31 May 2005 in Addict Behav, 30(6): 1247-53.
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