Changes in smoking for adults with and without alcohol and drug use disorders: longitudinal evaluation in the US population

Differences in smoking cessation behaviors and vaping status among adult daily smokers with and without depression, anxiety, and alcohol use: Findings from the 2018 and 2020 International Tobacco Control Four Country Smoking and Vaping (ITC 4CV) Surveys

This study examined differences in quit attempts, 1-month quit success, and vaping status at follow-up among a cohort of 3709 daily smokers with and without depression, anxiety, and regular alcohol use who participated in both the 2018 and 2020 International Tobacco Control Four Country Smoking and Vaping (ITC 4CV) Surveys. At baseline, a survey with validated screening tools was used to classify respondents as having no, or one or more of the following: 1) depression, 2) anxiety, and 3) regular alcohol use. Multivariable adjusted regression analyses were used to examine whether baseline (2018) self-report conditions were associated with quit attempts; quit success; and vaping status by follow-up (2020). Results showed that respondents who reported depressive symptoms were more likely than those without to have made a quit attempt (aOR=1.32, 95% CI:1.03-1.70, p=0.03), but were less likely to have quit (aOR=0.55, 95% CI:0.34-0.89, p=0.01). There were no differences in quit attempts or quit success between those with and without self-reported anxiety diagnoses or regular alcohol use. Among successful quitters, respondents with baseline depressive symptoms and self-reported anxiety diagnoses were more likely than those without to report vaping at follow-up (aOR=2.58, 95% CI:1.16-5.74, p=0.02, and aOR=3.35 95% CI:1.14-9.87, p=0.03). In summary, it appears that smokers with depression are motivated to quit smoking but were less likely to manage to stay quit, and more likely to be vaping if successfully quit. As smoking rates are higher among people with mental health conditions, it is crucial for healthcare professionals to identify these vulnerable groups and offer tailored smoking cessation support and continued support during their quit attempt.

Smoking-Related Increases in Alcohol Outcomes and Preliminary Evidence for the Protective Effect of a Functional Nicotine Receptor Gene (CHRNA5) Variant on Alcohol Consumption in Individuals Without Alcohol Use Disorder

BACKGROUND

Alcohol and nicotine interact with the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor system to alter reward-related responses, thereby contributing to the co-use and misuse of these drugs. A missense polymorphism rs16969968 (G>A) in the CHRNA5 gene has shown a strong association with nicotine-related phenotypes. However, less is known about the impact of this variant on alcohol-related phenotypes.

METHODS

We assessed the main and interactive effect of smoking and rs16969968 polymorphism on alcohol consumption using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Timeline Follow Back (TLFB), and Lifetime Drinking History (LDH) in 980 healthy adults without alcohol use disorder. We further examined the effect of the rs16969968 polymorphism on acute alcohol consumption using a free-access i.v. alcohol self-administration (IV-ASA) human laboratory paradigm in a subset of 153 nonsmoking participants. Subjective alcohol responses, alcohol sensitivity, and expectancy measures were compared between genotype groups (GG; AA/AG).

RESULTS

We observed a significant association of smoking with AUDIT, TLFB, and LDH measures across genotype groups, with smokers showing higher scores compared with nonsmokers. Additionally, we found an association between genotype and TLFB-total drinks in the IV-ASA subset, with the GG group showing higher scores than AA/AG group. Relatedly, the alcohol negative expectancy score was significantly lower in the GG group than the AA/AG group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings underscore the association of smoking with alcohol measures. We found preliminary evidence for the protective effect of the functional CHRNA5 polymorphism on alcohol consumption and its association with increased negative alcohol expectancies, which highlights the substantial heterogeneity in alcohol responses.

Is Abstinence from Alcohol and Smoking Associated with Less Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms Among People with HIV?

Achieving abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, or both may improve mental health, but is understudied in people with HIV (PWH). The St PETER HIV randomized clinical trial compared varenicline, cytisine, and nicotine replacement therapy on alcohol and smoking behavior among 400 PWH in Russia. The primary exposure was thirty-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA) from (1) alcohol, (2) smoking, (3) both, or (4) neither and was assessed at 1, 3, 6 and 12-months as were the study outcomes of anxiety (GAD-7) and depressive (CES-D) symptoms. The primary aim was to examine the association between smoking and/or alcohol abstinence and subsequent symptoms of depression and anxiety. Primary analysis used repeated measures generalized linear modeling to relate PPA with mental health scores across time. In secondary analyses, Kruskal-Wallis tests related PPA with mental health scores at each timepoint. Primary analyses did not identify significant differences in anxiety or depressive symptoms between exposure groups over time. Secondary analyses found CES-D scores across PPA categories were similar at 1-month (11, 10, 11, 11) and 6-months (10, 10, 11, 11) but differed at 3-months (9, 11, 10, 12; p = 0.035) and 12-months (10, 6, 11, 10; p = 0.019). GAD-7 scores did not vary across PPA categories at any time point. While abstinence was associated with fewer depressive symptoms at times, findings were not consistent during follow-up, perhaps reflecting intermittent relapse. PWH with polysubstance use and mental health comorbidity are complex, and larger samples with sustained abstinence would further elucidate effects of abstinence on mental health.

Using Instrumental Variables to Measure Causation over Time in Cross-Lagged Panel Models

Cross-lagged panel models (CLPMs) are commonly used to estimate causal influences between two variables with repeated assessments. The lagged effects in a CLPM depend on the time interval between assessments, eventually becoming undetectable at longer intervals. To address this limitation, we incorporate instrumental variables (IVs) into the CLPM with two study waves and two variables. Doing so enables estimation of both the lagged (i.e., "distal") effects and the bidirectional cross-sectional (i.e., "proximal") effects at each wave. The distal effects reflect Granger-causal influences across time, which decay with increasing time intervals. The proximal effects capture causal influences that accrue over time and can help infer causality when the distal effects become undetectable at longer intervals. Significant proximal effects, with a negligible distal effect, would imply that the time interval is too long to estimate a lagged effect at that time interval using the standard CLPM. Through simulations and an empirical application, we demonstrate the impact of time intervals on causal inference in the CLPM and present modeling strategies to detect causal influences regardless of the time interval in a study. Furthermore, to motivate empirical applications of the proposed model, we highlight the utility and limitations of using genetic variables as IVs in large-scale panel studies.

Anxiety sensitivity reduction-smoking cessation intervention among individuals who engage in dual cigarette and cannabis use: A secondary analysis

INTRODUCTION

Cannabis use among individuals who smoke is prevalent in the general population and related to adverse health effects, including higher levels of interoceptive perturbation (i.e., a disturbance in internal experiences). An important aspect of smoking cessation among individuals who co-use cannabis is to address behavioral associations between physiological sensations and habitual behaviors via integrated treatments focused on reducing reactivity to internal perturbations such as anxiety sensitivity (i.e., the belief that such symptoms produce personal harm).

METHODS

The current study involved a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) of an integrated anxiety sensitivity-smoking cessation intervention compared to standard smoking cessation. The current study sought to extend findings from the initial trial to examine if the integrated intervention produced better smoking cessation outcomes than standard care among individuals who engage in dual cigarette and cannabis use. Participants were 149 adults who engage in dual cigarette and cannabis use (41.6 % female; Mage = 30.89, SD = 13.1).

RESULTS

Results indicated that the anxiety sensitivity intervention produced statistically significant differences in distal (long-term) smoking abstinence at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up assessments but not proximal (short-term; quit-week to 2-weeks) smoking abstinence.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the potential of an integrated anxiety sensitivity smoking cessation intervention to yield better long-term smoking abstinence rates than standard cessation treatment among individuals who engage in dual cigarette and cannabis use is clinically significant.

The effect of alcohol use on smoking cessation: A systematic review

Only a small minority of all attempts to stop smoking are successful, especially among smokers who are heavy drinkers and those with an alcohol use disorder. The current systematic review focuses on the negative effects of alcohol use, either before or during attempts to quit smoking, on the success rate of these attempt(s) in alcohol-drinking tobacco smokers. We conducted a systematic review of naturalistic and experimental studies, which included at least 40 tobacco smokers with a recorded drinking status (non-drinking, heavy drinking, alcohol use disorder) and a clearly documented change in alcohol consumption. We could not conduct a meta-analysis and, thus, used consistency across studies to draw conclusions. The evidence presented here shows that alcohol use is associated with lower rates of success in quitting smoking in 20 out of 27 studies. This includes both lapses and relapses. Similarly, in 19 out of 20 long-term follow-up studies, the duration of smoking abstinence was shorter among persons with higher alcohol consumption. Finally, 12 out of 13 experimental studies showed that exposure of smokers to alcohol cues or to drinking of alcohol induce a strong propensity to smoke. It is, therefore, recommended for smokers who drink alcohol and who intend to quit smoking to use an integrated approach, i.e., to stop or substantially reduce their alcohol consumption before and/or during their attempt to quit smoking.

Real-world effectiveness of smoking cessation aids: A population survey in England with 12-month follow-up, 2015-2020

OBJECTIVE

To examine the real-world effectiveness of popular smoking cessation aids, adjusting for potential confounders measured up to 12 months before the quit attempt.

METHODS

1,045 adult (≥18y) smokers in England provided data at baseline (April 2015-November 2020) and reported a serious past-year quit attempt at 12-month follow-up. Our outcome was smoking cessation, defined as self-reported abstinence at 12 months. Independent variables were use in the most recent quit attempt of: varenicline, prescription NRT, over-the-counter NRT, e-cigarettes, and traditional behavioural support. Potential confounders were age, sex, social grade, alcohol consumption, and level of dependence (measured at baseline), variables relating to the most recent quit attempt (measured at 12-month follow-up), and survey year.

RESULTS

Participants who reported using varenicline in their most recent quit attempt had significantly higher odds of abstinence than those who did not, after adjustment for potential confounders and use of other aids (OR = 2.69, 95 %CI = 1.43-5.05). Data were inconclusive regarding whether using prescription NRT, over-the-counter NRT, e-cigarettes, or traditional behavioural support was associated with increased odds of abstinence (p > 0.05; Bayes factors = 0.41-1.71, expected effect size OR = 1.19), but provided moderate evidence that using e-cigarettes was more likely associated with no effect than reduced odds (Bayes factor = 0.31, expected effect size OR = 0.75).

CONCLUSIONS

Use of varenicline in a quit attempt was associated with increased odds of successful smoking cessation. Data were inconclusive regarding a benefit of e-cigarettes for cessation but showed use of e-cigarettes was unlikely to be associated with reduced odds of cessation. Associations between other cessation aids and cessation were inconclusive.

Smoking As an Outcome Moderator In the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders

AIMS

To clarify whether smoking interferes with successful treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD).

METHODS

The current systematic review investigates the potential moderating effect of smoking on behavioural and pharmacological treatment of AUD. In addition, this review summarizes the results of randomized controlled trials investigating the effect of smoking cessation treatments in subjects with AUD on drinking outcomes.

RESULTS

Overall, the results show that 16 out of the 31 pharmacological and psychotherapeutic alcohol treatment studies showed that being a non-smoker or decreased tobacco consumption during AUD treatment is associated with beneficial drinking outcomes, including reduced drinking, later relapse and prolonged alcohol abstinence. As such, smoking predicts poorer drinking outcomes in alcohol treatments. In the stop-smoking studies in patients with AUD, reduced smoking had virtually no effect on drinking behaviours. The inverse association between smoking and drinking outcome observed here indicates that non-smokers may be more successful to attain alcohol abstinence than smokers do. However, this association does not imply per se that smoking triggers alcohol consumption, since it can also mean that alcohol consumption promotes smoking.

CONCLUSIONS

It is concluded that (continued) tobacco smoking may have a negative moderating effect on the treatment outcome of AUD treatments. To optimize treatment outcome of AUD one may consider informing and counselling patients with AUD about the risks of smoking for treatment outcomes and offering support for smoking cessation.

Cohort Study of Cannabis Use History and Perinatal Cigarette Use Among Overweight and Obese Women

OBJECTIVES

In non-pregnant populations, cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) have been linked to tobacco use and less successful quit attempts. We compared perinatal cigarette use in women across 3 groups: never used cannabis (No CU group); used cannabis but did not meet CUD criteria (CU group); history of CUD (CUD group).

METHODS

Interviews with 257 pregnant women with overweight/obesity (M age = 28 years; 52% white) were conducted for a study of eating behavior in Western Pennsylvania from 2012-2016. Tobacco use was assessed early in pregnancy (< 20 weeks gestation), late in pregnancy (34-38 weeks gestation) and 6 months postpartum. CUD was measured with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). Data relevant to the proposed analyses were available for 252 women. Generalized mixed effect models were used to predict perinatal cigarette use based on cannabis use group, time and their interaction, adjusting for age, race, education, income, parity, and mood/anxiety disorder.

RESULTS

Forty-eight percent of participants reported prior cannabis use and 15% were diagnosed with lifetime CUD. History of cannabis use predicted cigarette smoking in early pregnancy (OR 11.12, CI 3.27-37.85), late pregnancy (OR 6.55, CI 1.70-25.27), and 6 months postpartum (OR 7.57, CI 2.72-21.07), regardless of CUD.

CONCLUSIONS

A history of CUD did not appear to confer additional risk for perinatal cigarette use. Given increasing rates of cannabis use among pregnant women, these results highlight the importance of addressing history of cannabis use in conjunction with tobacco use to improve smoking cessation efforts.

Smoking reduction is associated with lower alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms among young adults over one year

BACKGROUND

This secondary analysis examined whether smoking reduction among young adults participating in a Facebook-based smoking cessation intervention study was associated with corresponding reductions in alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms.

METHODS

Participants were young adults who smoked and engaged in heavy episodic drinking (HED). Alcohol consumption (AUDIT-C, days of HED), depressive symptoms (PHQ-2), and past-month cigarettes per day (CPD) were self-reported at baseline and 12 months (N = 150). Linear regression estimated the relationship between the mean change in CPD and mean changes in alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

CPD, alcohol consumption, and depressive symptoms decreased significantly between baseline and 12 months. The adjusted mean reduction in CPD was significantly associated with mean reductions in AUDIT-C (Beta [β] = 0.09, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.04-0.14), days of HED (β = 0.17, 95 % CI = 0.04-0.29) and PHQ-2 (β = 0.05, 95 % CI = 0.01-0.08). Smoking abstinence (n = 48) was associated with a significantly larger mean reduction in AUDIT-C compared to a ≥50 % reduction (n = 45) (-2.9 vs -1.7 points, p = 0.03) or <50 % reduction in CPD (n = 57) (-2.9 vs -1.1 points, p < 0.01). The mean reduction in AUDIT-C did not differ between a ≥50 % reduction and <50 % reduction in CPD (-1.7 vs.-1.1 points, p = 0.18). Mean reductions in days of HED and the PHQ-2 did not differ according to the level of reduction in CPD.

CONCLUSION

Smoking reduction was associated with reductions in alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms. Reductions appeared to be greater for those who achieved abstinence compared to a reduction in smoking.

Epigenetic Analyses of Alcohol Consumption in Combustible and Non-Combustible Nicotine Product Users

Alcohol and tobacco use are highly comorbid and exacerbate the associated morbidity and mortality of either substance alone. However, the relationship of alcohol consumption to the various forms of nicotine-containing products is not well understood. To improve this understanding, we examined the relationship of alcohol consumption to nicotine product use using self-report, cotinine, and two epigenetic biomarkers specific for smoking (cg05575921) and drinking (Alcohol T Scores (ATS)) in n = 424 subjects. Cigarette users had significantly higher ATS values than the other groups (p < 2.2 × 10⁻¹⁶). Using the objective biomarkers, the intensity of nicotine and alcohol consumption was correlated in both the cigarette and smokeless users (R = −0.66, p = 3.1 × 10⁻¹⁴; R² = 0.61, p = 1.97 × 10⁻⁴). Building upon this idea, we used the objective nicotine biomarkers and age to build and test a Balanced Random Forest classification model for heavy alcohol consumption (ATS > 2.35). The model performed well with an AUC of 0.962, 89.3% sensitivity, and 85% specificity. We conclude that those who use non-combustible nicotine products drink significantly less than smokers, and cigarette and smokeless users drink more with heavier nicotine use. These findings further highlight the lack of informativeness of self-reported alcohol consumption and suggest given the public and private health burden of alcoholism, further research into whether using non-combustible nicotine products as a mode of treatment for dual users should be considered.

Behavioral Economic Demand for Alcohol and Cigarettes in Heavy Drinking Smokers: Evidence of Asymmetric Cross-commodity Reinforcing Value

INTRODUCTION

Previous studies have highlighted a strong bidirectional relationship between cigarette and alcohol consumption. To advance our understanding of this relationship the present study uses a behavioral economic approach in a community sample (N = 383) of nontreatment seeking heavy drinking smokers.

AIMS AND METHODS

The aims were to examine same-substance and cross-substance relationships between alcohol and cigarette use, and latent factors of demand. A community sample of nontreatment seeking heavy drinking smokers completed an in-person assessment battery including measures of alcohol and tobacco use as well as the Cigarette Purchase Task and the Alcohol Purchase Task. Latent factors of demand were derived from these hypothetical purchase tasks.

RESULTS

Results revealed a positive correlation between paired alcohol and cigarette demand indices (eg, correlation between alcohol intensity and cigarette intensity) (rs = 0.18-0.46, p ≤ .003). Over and above alcohol factors, cigarette use variables (eg, Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence and cigarettes per smoking day) significantly predicted an additional 4.5% (p < .01) of the variance in Persistence values but not Amplitude values for alcohol. Over and above cigarette factors, alcohol use variables predicted cigarette Persistence values (ΔR2 = .013, p = .05), however, did not predict Amplitude values.

CONCLUSIONS

These results advance our understanding of the overlap between cigarette and alcohol by demonstrating that involvement with one substance was associated with demand for the other substance. This asymmetric profile-from smoking to alcohol demand, but not vice versa-suggests that it is not simply tapping into a generally higher reward sensitivity and warrants further investigation.

IMPLICATIONS

To our knowledge, no study to date has examined alcohol and cigarette demand, via hypothetical purchase tasks, in a clinical sample of heavy drinking smokers. This study demonstrates that behavioral economic indices may be sensitive to cross-substance relationships and specifically that such relationships are asymmetrically stronger for smoking variables affecting alcohol demand, not the other way around.

Independent and Combined Effects of Nicotine or Chronic Tobacco Smoking and HIV on the Brain: A Review of Preclinical and Clinical Studies

Tobacco smoking is highly prevalent among HIV-infected individuals. Chronic smokers with HIV showed greater cognitive deficits and impulsivity, and had more psychopathological symptoms and greater neuroinflammation than HIV non-smokers or smokers without HIV infection. However, preclinical studies that evaluated the combined effects of HIV-infection and tobacco smoking are scare. The preclinical models typically used cell cultures or animal models that involved specific HIV viral proteins or the administration of nicotine to rodents. These preclinical models consistently demonstrated that nicotine had neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects, leading to cognitive enhancement. Although the major addictive ingredient in tobacco smoking is nicotine, chronic smoking does not lead to improved cognitive function in humans. Therefore, preclinical studies designed to unravel the interactive effects of chronic tobacco smoking and HIV infection are needed. In this review, we summarized the preclinical studies that demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of nicotine, the neurotoxic effects of the HIV viral proteins, and the scant literature on nicotine or tobacco smoke in HIV transgenic rat models. We also reviewed the clinical studies that evaluated the neurotoxic effects of tobacco smoking, HIV infection and their combined effects on the brain, including studies that evaluated the cognitive and behavioral assessments, as well as neuroimaging measures. Lastly, we compared the different approaches between preclinical and clinical studies, identified some gaps and proposed some future directions. Graphical abstract Independent and combined effects of HIV and tobacco/nicotine. Left top and bottom panels: Both clinical studies of HIV infected persons and preclinical studies using viral proteins in vitro or in vivo in animal models showed that HIV infection could lead to neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation. Right top and bottom panels: While clinical studies of tobacco smoking consistently showed deleterious effects of smoking, clinical and preclinical studies that used nicotine show mild cognitive enhancement, neuroprotective and possibly anti-inflammatory effects. In the developing brain, however, nicotine is neurotoxic. Middle overlapping panels: Clinical studies of persons with HIV who were smokers typically showed additive deleterious effects of HIV and tobacco smoking. However, in the preclinical studies, when nicotine was administered to the HIV-1 Tg rats, the neurotoxic effects of HIV were attenuated, but tobacco smoke worsened the inflammatory cascade.

Are population trends in high-risk alcohol consumption in smokers associated with trends in quit attempts and quit success? A time-series analysis

OBJECTIVES

Monthly changes in the prevalence of high-risk drinking and smoking in England appear to be positively correlated. This study aimed to assess how far monthly changes in high-risk drinking were specifically associated with attempts to stop smoking and the success of quit attempts.

DESIGN

Data were used from the Alcohol and Smoking Toolkit Studies between April 2014 and June 2018. These involve monthly household face-to-face surveys of representative samples of ~1800 adults.

SETTING

England.

PARTICIPANTS

Data were aggregated on 17 560 past-year smokers over the study period.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Autoregressive integrated moving average with exogenous input (ARIMAX) modelling was used to assess the association over time between monthly prevalence of high-risk drinking among smokers and (a) prevalence of attempts to quit smoking and (b) prevalence of successful quit attempts in those attempting to quit. Bayes factors (BF) were calculated to compare the null hypothesis with the hypothesis of an effect sufficiently large (β=0.6) to explain the established association between overall prevalence in smoking and high-risk drinking.

RESULTS

No statistically significant associations were found between monthly changes in prevalence of high-risk drinking among smokers and attempts to quit smoking (β=0.156, 95% CI -0.079 to 0.391, p=0.194) or quit success (β=0.066, 95% CI -0.524 to 0.655, p=0.827). BF indicated that the data were insensitive but suggested there is weak evidence for the null hypothesis in the case of both quit attempts (BF=0.80) and quit success (BF=0.53).

CONCLUSIONS

Monthly changes in prevalence of high-risk alcohol consumption in England are not clearly associated with changes in quit attempt or quit success rates.

Relapse to substance use: A concept analysis

The concept of relapse is ubiquitous in the health literature related to addiction. Nevertheless, relapse is-and has been-described and measured under various definitions, which precipitates confusion, inconsistency, and stigma. This study aimed to (a) clarify the meaning of relapse and (b) present a comprehensive definition of relapse vis-à-vis substance use. Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis was followed to analyze the relapse using CINAHL, PsychINFO, and PubMed databases. Three key attributes of relapse were identified: (a) interruption of abstinence, (b) vulnerability to uncontrollable substance-related behavior and/or cues, (c) a transition to potential progression or regression. Antecedents and consequences of attributes were identified, followed by the construction of the model and additional cases. Relapse is defined conceptually as either a transition to regression or a progression in the process of recovery, prompted by a return to the previous behavior of substance use, despite the intention to stay abstinent. A standardized definition and understanding of relapse not only minimize confusion, inconsistency, and social and self-stigma associated with the term but also helps provide relapse-sensitive care with accurate methods of assessment and evaluation.

Co-administration of ethanol and nicotine heightens sensitivity to ethanol reward within the nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell and increasing NAc shell BDNF is sufficient to enhance ethanol reward in naïve Wistar rats

Alcohol use disorder most commonly presents as a polydrug disorder where greater than 85% are estimated to smoke. EtOH and nicotine (NIC) co-abuse or exposure results in unique neuroadaptations that are linked to behaviors that promote drug use. The current experiments aimed to identify neuroadaptations within the mesolimbic pathway produced by concurrent EtOH and NIC exposure. The experiments used four overall groups of male Wistar rats consisting of vehicle, EtOH or NIC alone, and EtOH+NIC. Drug exposure through direct infusion into the posterior ventral tegmental area (pVTA) stimulated release of glutamate and dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell, which was quantified through high-performance liquid chromatography. Additionally, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein levels were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A second experiment investigated the effects of drug pretreatment within the pVTA on the reinforcing properties of EtOH within the NAc shell through intracranial self-administration (ICSA). The concluding experiment evaluated the effect of NAc shell pretreatment with BDNF on EtOH reward utilizing ICSA within that region. The data indicated that only EtOH+NIC administration into the pVTA simultaneously increased glutamate, dopamine, and BDNF in the NAc shell. Moreover, only pVTA pretreatment with EtOH+NIC enhanced the reinforcing properties of EtOH in the NAc shell. BDNF pretreatment in the NAc shell was also sufficient to enhance the reinforcing properties of EtOH in the NAc shell. The collected data suggest that concurrent EtOH+NIC exposure results in a distinct neurochemical response and neuroadaptations within the mesolimbic pathway that alter EtOH reward.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Increases Nicotine Addiction Severity in Adults Seeking Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: The Role of Personality Disorders

AIMS

To examine the role of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and impulsive personality disorders in nicotine addiction severity among treatment-seeking substance use disorder (SUD) patients.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional study, we examined data from the second International ADHD in Substance Use Disorders Prevalence Study (IASP-2) on 402 adults in SUD treatment from Puerto Rico, Hungary, and Australia using diagnostic interviews for ADHD, antisocial (ASP) and borderline (BPD) personality disorders, and the self-report Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND). We compared SUD patients with and without ADHD on nicotine addiction severity. We tested direct and indirect pathways from ADHD to nicotine addiction and mediation through ASP and BPD.

RESULTS

Overall, 81.4% of SUD patients reported current cigarette smoking. SUD patients with ADHD had higher FTND scores and smoked more cigarettes than those without ADHD, with an earlier onset and more years of smoking. ASP mediated the effect of ADHD on all aspects of nicotine addiction severity, whereas BPD did so only on some aspects of nicotine addiction severity.

CONCLUSIONS

SUD patients with comorbid ADHD show more severe nicotine addiction than those without, which is largely explained by comorbid impulsive personality disorders. In SUD patients, it is important to screen for adult ADHD and other psychiatric disorders, especially those with impulse control deficits such as ASP and BPD.

Increasing Depression and Substance Use Among Former Smokers in the United States, 2002-2016

INTRODUCTION

Mental health and substance use problems are associated with smoking relapse among former smokers. Yet, little is known about the prevalence of mental health and substance use among former smokers in the U.S. In addition, it is unknown whether the prevalence of these conditions has changed over time as former U.S. smokers have grown to outnumber current U.S. smokers. This study, which was conducted in 2018 and 2019, examined the prevalence and trends over time in depression (2005-2016), marijuana use (2002-2016), and alcohol use problems (2002-2016) among former U.S. smokers.

METHODS

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health is an annual, nationally representative, cross-sectional study. Data from U.S. individuals who were aged ≥18 years in 2002-2016 were included. Former smokers were defined as having smoked ≥100 lifetime cigarettes and no past-year cigarettes.

RESULTS

From 2005 to 2016, the prevalence of major depression increased from 4.88% to 6.04% (AOR=1.01, 95% CI=1.00, 1.03, p=0.04). From 2002 to 2016, past-year marijuana use rose from 5.35% to 10.09% (AOR=1.08, 95% CI=1.07, 1.09, p<0.001) among former smokers. Past-month binge alcohol use also increased from 17.22% to 22.33% (AOR=1.03, 95% CI=1.02, 1.04, p<0.001), although the prevalence of past-year alcohol abuse or dependence did not change.

CONCLUSIONS

Depression and substance use, which are factors associated with increased risk for cigarette use relapse, appear to be increasing over time among former U.S. smokers. Increased awareness of these trends may be important for clinical and public health efforts to direct attention to conditions potentially threatening sustained abstinence among former smokers.

Differential Associations Between Anti-Tobacco Industry Attitudes and Intention to Quit Smoking Across Young Adult Peer Crowds

PURPOSE

To compare the relationship between anti-tobacco industry attitudes and intention and attempts to quit smoking across 6 young adult peer crowds.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional bar survey in 2015.

SETTING

Seven US cities (Albuquerque, Los Angeles, Nashville, Oklahoma City, San Diego, San Francisco, and Tucson).

PARTICIPANTS

Two thousand eight hundred seventeen young adult bar patrons who were currently smoking.

MEASURES

Intention to quit in the next 6 months and having made a quit attempt in the last 12 months were binary outcomes. Anti-industry attitudes were measured by 3 items indicating support for action against the tobacco industry. Peer crowd affiliation was measured using the I-Base Survey.

ANALYSIS

Adjusted multivariable logistic regression models examined the association between anti-industry attitudes and the outcomes for the total sample and for each peer crowd.

RESULTS

Overall, anti-industry attitudes were positively associated with both intention to quit (odds ratio [OR] = 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24-1.52) and attempt to quit (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.03-1.27). Intriguingly, the relationship between anti-industry attitudes and intention to quit differed by peer crowd affiliation, with significant associations for Homebody, Partier, Hipster, and Hip Hop, but not for Young Professional and Country.

CONCLUSIONS

Developing health communication messages that resonate with unique peer crowd values can enhance the relevance of public health campaigns. Tobacco control practitioners should tailor anti-industry messages to promote intention to quit smoking among the highest risk young adults.

Is Cannabis Use Associated With Increased Risk of Cigarette Smoking Initiation, Persistence, and Relapse? Longitudinal Data From a Representative Sample of US Adults

OBJECTIVE

The current study prospectively investigated the relationship between cannabis use and cigarette smoking initiation, persistence, and relapse during a 3-year period among adults in the United States.

METHODS

Analyses included respondents who completed Waves 1 (2001-2002) and 2 (2004-2005) of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions and responded to questions about cannabis use and smoking status (n = 34,639). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to calculate the odds of cigarette use at Wave 2 among Wave 1 daily smokers, nondaily smokers, former smokers, and nonsmokers by Wave 1 cannabis use.

RESULTS

In unadjusted analyses, Wave 1 cannabis use was associated with increased odds of Wave 2 daily and nondaily smoking for Wave 1 nonsmokers (daily OR = 2.90; 95% CI, 2.10-4.00; nondaily OR = 4.45; 95% CI, 3.97-5.00) and Wave 2 relapse to daily and nondaily smoking for Wave 1 former smokers (daily OR = 4.18, 95% CI, 3.01-5.81; nondaily OR = 5.24; 95% CI, 3.74-7.34). Wave 1 cannabis use was associated with decreased odds of Wave 2 smoking cessation for Wave 1 daily cigarette smokers (OR = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.51-0.64). The associations remained significant for daily smoking initiation (OR = 1.43; 95% CI, 1.06-1.93), daily smoking relapse (OR = 1.47; 95% CI, 1.00-2.16), and smoking cessation (OR = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.69-0.87) after adjusting for demographics and psychiatric disorders. Associations remained significant for nondaily smoking initiation (OR = 1.85; 95% CI, 1.59-2.16) and nondaily smoking relapse (OR = 1.63; 95% CI, 1.05-2.54) after adjusting for these covariates as well as for alcohol and substance use disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Cannabis use was associated with increased initiation of, persistence of, and relapse to cigarette smoking. Additional attention to cannabis use in tobacco control efforts and in clinical settings aimed at reducing cigarette smoking and smoking-related negative consequences may be warranted.

Cigarette smoking quit ratios among adults in the USA with cannabis use and cannabis use disorders, 2002-2016

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of cigarette smoking is nearly three times higher among persons who use cannabis and have cannabis use disorders (CUDs), relative to those who do not. The current study examined cigarette quit ratios from 2002 to 2016 among US adults with and without cannabis use and CUDs.

METHODS

The current study analysed US adults aged 18 years and older from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual cross-sectional study. Quit ratios (ie, proportion of former smokers among ever-smokers) were calculated annually from 2002 to 2016. Time trends in quit ratios by cannabis use/CUDs were tested using logistic regression.

RESULTS

In 2016, the quit ratios for people with any cannabis use (23%) and CUDs (15%) were less than half the quit ratios of those without cannabis use and CUDs (51% and 48%, respectively). After controlling for demographics and substance use disorders, the quit ratio did not change from 2002 to 2016 among persons with CUD, though it non-linearly increased among persons with cannabis use, without cannabis use and without CUDs. Quit ratios increased more rapidly among those who reported past-month cannabis use compared with those without past-month cannabis use.

CONCLUSIONS

Cigarette smoking quit ratios remain dramatically lower among people who use cannabis and have CUDs and quit ratios did not change significantly from 2002 to 2016 among those with CUDs. Public health and clinical attention are needed to increase quit ratios and reduce harmful cigarette smoking consequences for persons with cannabis use and CUDs.

Sex Differences in Graphic Warning Label Ratings by Addictions Clients

OBJECTIVES

Research on sex differences in responses to cigarette graphic warning labels (GWLs) has been limited despite tobacco-related, health disparities for women. We examined whether women had stronger responses to certain labels than to others, whether this pattern differed from men's, and whether there were overall sex ratings differences.

METHODS

Smokers (N = 881) in 24, addictions treatment programs rated 3 of 9 Food and Drug Administration-developed labels on credibility, message reactance, quit motivation, and negative emotions. Participants rated one label depicting a woman and/or baby, and 2 depicting tobacco-related disease or male images.

RESULTS

Women's (n = 432) ratings of labels depicting women/babies versus other labels did not differ from men's (n = 449) ratings. Women had higher ratings than men across all labels combined on credibility (p < .001), quit motivation (p = .007), and negative emotions (p < .001). Individual labels were analyzed for sex differences. Women's ratings were higher on credibility for 3 of 9 labels, and on negative emotions for 7 of 9 labels.

CONCLUSIONS

Female smokers in addictions treatment had generally stronger responses to GWLs than men, supporting GWL implementation in the United States to help close the sex gap in smoking cessation.

Trends in cannabis use disorder by cigarette smoking status in the United States, 2002-2016

BACKGROUND

Cannabis use is on the rise in the United States (US) and is disproportionately common among cigarette smokers. Cannabis use disorder (CUD) occurs among a small subset of cannabis users and may impact cigarette use. The objective of this study was to estimate trends in the prevalence of CUD among daily, non-daily, former, and never cigarette smokers from 2002 to 2016.

METHODS

Data were drawn from cross-sectional, nationally representative samples of individuals ages 12 and older in the US that were collected annually. The prevalence of past 12-month CUD was estimated each year from 2002 to 2016 among daily, non-daily, former, and never cigarette smokers (total analytic N = 837,326).

RESULTS

Overall, the prevalence of CUD decreased from 2002 to 2016. Yet, trends differed by cigarette smoking status. Adjusting for demographics, the prevalence of CUD increased significantly among non-daily smokers (aOR = 1.02; 95% CI = 1.01-1.03) from 2002 to 2016 and did not change among daily, former, or never smokers. CUD was significantly more common among non-daily (4.32%) and daily cigarette smokers (2.92%) compared with former (0.99%) and never smokers (1.11%) in 2016. Approximately one in five (18.11%-22.87%) youth ages 12-17 who smoke cigarettes met criteria for CUD in 2016, compared with approximately 2% of non-smoking youth.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite downward trends in CUD observed at the general population level, the prevalence of CUD significantly increased among non-daily cigarette smokers from 2002 to 2016. In the US, CUD remains significantly higher among cigarette smokers relative to non-cigarette smokers.

Effects of the nicotinic agonist varenicline, nicotinic antagonist r-bPiDI, and DAT inhibitor (R)-modafinil on co-use of ethanol and nicotine in female P rats

RATIONALE

Co-users of alcohol and nicotine are the largest group of polysubstance users worldwide. Commonalities in mechanisms of action for ethanol (EtOH) and nicotine proposes the possibility of developing a single pharmacotherapeutic to treat co-use.

OBJECTIVES

Toward developing a preclinical model of co-use, female alcohol-preferring (P) rats were trained for voluntary EtOH drinking and i.v. nicotine self-administration in three phases: (1) EtOH alone (0 vs. 15%, two-bottle choice), (2) nicotine alone (0.03 mg/kg/infusion, active vs. inactive lever), and (3) concurrent access to both EtOH and nicotine. Using this model, we examined the effects of (1) varenicline, a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) partial agonist with high affinity for the α4β2* subtype; (2) r-bPiDI, a subtype-selective antagonist at α6β2* nAChRs; and (3) (R)-modafinil, an atypical inhibitor of the dopamine transporter (DAT).

RESULTS

In phases 1 and 2, pharmacologically relevant intake of EtOH and nicotine was achieved. In the concurrent access phase (phase 3), EtOH consumption decreased while nicotine intake increased relative to phases 1 and 2. For drug pretreatments, in the EtOH access phase (phase 1), (R)-modafinil (100 mg/kg) decreased EtOH consumption, with no effect on water consumption. In the concurrent access phase, varenicline (3 mg/kg), r-bPiDI (20 mg/kg), and (R)-modafinil (100 mg/kg) decreased nicotine self-administration but did not alter EtOH consumption, water consumption, or inactive lever pressing.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that therapeutics which may be useful for smoking cessation via selective inhibition of α4β2* or α6β2* nAChRs, or DAT inhibition, may not be sufficient to treat EtOH and nicotine co-use.

Cigarette smoking and quit attempts among Latinos in substance use disorder treatment

BACKGROUND

Differences in tobacco use behaviors have been identified between Latinos and non-Latino whites in the general US population. Little is known about cigarette smoking and quitting behaviors of Latinos in treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs), who represent two major tobacco-vulnerable groups.

OBJECTIVES

To compare, in a national sample of persons enrolled in SUD treatment, demographic, drug use, and smoking and quitting prevalence and behaviors between Latinos and non-Latino whites.

METHODS

We surveyed 777 SUD treatment clients, sampled from 24 clinics selected at random from the National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network (Latino client n = 141; 40% female). We then conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to identify correlates of smoking behaviors by Latino/non-Latino white ethnicity.

RESULTS

Latinos' smoking prevalence resembled that of non-Latino whites (78.7% vs. 77.4%). In regression analyses, Latino smokers (n = 111) tended to smoke fewer cigarettes per day (CPD) than non-Latino white smokers (n = 492); were more often nondaily smokers and menthol smokers; more often reported a smoking quit attempt in the last year; and tended to report higher numbers of past-year quit attempts. Among Latino smokers, those with less education and those reporting opioids as their primary drug of use reported higher CPD.

CONCLUSIONS

Latinos in SUD treatment are at equally high risk of being current heavy smokers as compared to non-Latino whites in SUD treatment. At the same time, Latinos in SUD treatment exhibit ethnic-specific smoking and quitting behaviors that should be considered when designing smoking interventions for this group.

Addiction Treatment Clients' Reactions to Graphic Warning Labels on Cigarette Packs

Graphic warning labels (GWLs) on cigarette packs have been tested among diverse groups at high risk for tobacco use. However, little is known about the effectiveness of GWL interventions for persons with substance use disorders, whose smoking prevalence is 3 to 4 times that of the general population. After an experimental study which exposed clients in residential addiction treatment to GWLs for 30 days, we conducted five focus groups with trial participants (N = 33) to explore how exposure to the labels may have impacted their readiness to quit smoking. Focus group interviews were analyzed thematically. Interviewees reported that GWLs were more effective than text-based warnings for increasing quit intentions due to greater cognitive and emotional impact. Male and female interviewees expressed gender-specific reactions to the labels. Addiction treatment programs are a strategic site for GWL and other tobacco interventions due to the tobacco-vulnerable populations they serve.

Association between smoking and alcohol-related behaviours: a time-series analysis of population trends in England

AIMS

This paper estimates how far monthly changes in prevalence of cigarette smoking, motivation to quit and attempts to stop smoking have been associated with changes in prevalence of high-risk drinking, and motivation and attempts to reduce alcohol consumption in England.

DESIGN

Data were used from the Alcohol and Smoking Toolkit Studies between April 2014 and June 2016. These involve monthly household face-to-face surveys of representative samples of ~1700 adults in England.

MEASUREMENTS

Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average with Exogeneous Input (ARIMAX) modelling was used to assess the association over time between monthly prevalence of (a) smoking and high-risk drinking; (b) high motivation to quit smoking and high motivation to reduce alcohol consumption; and (c) attempts to quit smoking and attempts to reduce alcohol consumption.

FINDINGS

Mean smoking prevalence over the study period was 18.6% and high-risk drinking prevalence was 13.0%. A decrease of 1% of the series mean smoking prevalence was associated with a reduction of 0.185% of the mean prevalence of high-risk drinking 2 months later [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.033 to 0.337, P = 0.017]. A statistically significant association was not found between prevalence of high motivation to quit smoking and high motivation to reduce alcohol consumption (β = 0.324, 95% CI = -0.371 to 1.019, P = 0.360) or prevalence of attempts to quit smoking and attempts to reduce alcohol consumption (β = -0.026, 95% CI = -1.348 to 1.296, P = 0.969).

CONCLUSION

Between 2014 and 2016, monthly changes in prevalence of smoking in England were associated positively with prevalence of high-risk drinking. There was no significant association between motivation to stop and motivation to reduce alcohol consumption, or attempts to quit smoking and attempts to reduce alcohol consumption.

Examining the effects of illicit drug use on tobacco cessation outcomes in the Helping HAND 2 randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) smoke at higher rates and have higher tobacco-related mortality than the general population. Despite having an interest in smoking cessation, smokers with SUDs may have greater difficulty quitting.

METHODS

Analysis of data from a RCT testing a post-discharge smoking cessation intervention for hospitalized cigarette smokers interested in quitting. Past 7day tobacco abstinence was self-reported at 1, 3, and 6 months and biochemically confirmed at 6 months post-discharge. Other drug use was assessed at baseline by self-report or a past-year discharge diagnosis of SUD. Multiple logistic regression compared tobacco cessation outcomes among participants with no recreational drug use (NDU; n=942) vs. marijuana only (MU; n=284) vs. other illicit drugs (IDU; n=131).

RESULTS

Groups differed at baseline on age, gender, race, education, other household smokers, alcohol use, and anxiety/depression (all p<0.05). Confirmed 6-month tobacco abstinence was lower among IDU than NDU participants (9% vs 18%, p=0.01; AOR=0.43, CI: 0.22-0.84) after adjustment for study arm, smoking characteristics, demographics, quality of life, alcohol use and MU. Confirmed 6-month abstinence did not differ significantly between MU vs. NDU participants (14% vs 18%, p>0.05; AOR=0.77, CI:0.51-1.14). Counseling and medication use did not differ significantly among groups at any follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitalized smokers who planned to stop smoking after discharge and used cessation assistance were less successful if they had used illicit drugs in the past year, but not if they had only used marijuana. More intensive or tailored interventions may be required to address smoking in this population.

Changes in cigarette smoking initiation, cessation, and relapse among U.S. adults: a comparison of two longitudinal samples

BACKGROUND

The tobacco epidemic in the U.S. has matured in the past decade. However, due to rapidly changing social policy and commercial environments, tailored prevention and interventions are needed to support further reduction in smoking.

METHODS

Using Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (TUS-CPS) 2002-2003 and 2010-2011 longitudinal cohorts, five smoking states are defined including daily-heavy, daily-light, non-daily, former and non-smoker. We quantified the changes between smoking states for the two longitudinal cohorts, and used a series of multivariable logistic regression models to examine the association of socio-demographic attributes and initial smoking states on smoking initiation, cessation, and relapse between waves within each cohort.

RESULTS

The prevalence of adult heavy smoking decreased from 9.9% (95% CI: 9.6%, 10.2%) in 2002 to 7.1% (95% CI: 6.9%, 7.4%) in 2010. Non-daily smokers were less likely to quit in the 2010-2011 cohort than the 2002-2003 cohort (37.0% vs. 44.9%). Gender, age group, smoker type, race and marital status exhibit similar patterns in terms of their association to the odds of initiation, cessation and relapse between the two cohorts, while education groups showed some inconsistent results between the two cohorts regarding the odds of cessation.

CONCLUSIONS

Transitions between smoking states are complex and increasingly unstable, requiring a holistic, population-based perspective to understand the stocks and flows that ultimately dictate the public health impact of cigarette smoking behavior. This knowledge helps to identify groups in need of increased tobacco control prevention and intervention efforts.

A review of epidemiologic research on smoking behavior among persons with alcohol and illicit substance use disorders

Persons with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and substance use disorders (SUDs) appear to be heavily affected by cigarette smoking. In order to address the consequences of smoking in this population, an understanding of the current state of knowledge is needed. Epidemiologic research provides the opportunity to obtain detailed information on smoking behaviors in large community samples. The aim of this paper was to synthesize the epidemiologic evidence on smoking among persons with AUDs/SUDs and suggest directions for future research. Literature searches of Medline and PubMed were used to identify articles and additional articles were elicited from publication reference lists. To be included in the review, papers had to be published in English, analyze epidemiologic data, and examine an aspect of smoking behavior in persons with AUDs/SUDs. Twenty-nine studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. In summary, epidemiologic evidence to date suggests greater lifetime and current smoking, nicotine dependence, and non-cigarette tobacco use; lower quitting; and differences in quit attempts and withdrawal symptoms for persons with AUDs/SUDs compared to other people. Most studies examined nationally representative data and were conducted on persons in the United States and Australia. Few publications examined outcomes by demographics (e.g., gender, age) but these studies suggested that specific patterns differ by demographic subgroups. More research is needed on persons with AUDs/SUDs in order to develop the most effective public health and clinical interventions to reduce smoking behaviors, improve cessation outcomes, and reduce the harmful consequences of smoking for those with AUDs/SUDs.

A Post-Discharge Smoking-Cessation Intervention for Hospital Patients: Helping Hand 2 Randomized Clinical Trial

INTRODUCTION

Hospitalization provides an opportunity for smokers to quit, but tobacco-cessation interventions started in hospital must continue after discharge to be effective. This study aimed to improve the scalability of a proven effective post-discharge intervention by incorporating referral to a telephone quitline, a nationally available cessation resource.

STUDY DESIGN

A three-site RCT compared Sustained Care, a post-discharge tobacco-cessation intervention, with Standard Care among hospitalized adult smokers who wanted to quit smoking and received in-hospital tobacco-cessation counseling.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1,357 daily smokers admitted to three hospitals were enrolled from December 2012 to July 2014.

INTERVENTION

Sustained Care started at discharge and included automated interactive voice response telephone calls and the patient's choice of cessation medication for 3 months. Each automated call advised cessation, supported medication adherence, and triaged smokers seeking additional counseling or medication support directly to a telephone quitline. Standard Care provided only medication and counseling recommendations at discharge.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Biochemically confirmed past 7-day tobacco abstinence 6 months after discharge (primary outcome) and self-reported tobacco abstinence and tobacco-cessation treatment use at 1, 3, and 6 months and overall (0-6 months). Analyses were done in 2015-2016.

RESULTS

Smokers offered Sustained Care (n=680), versus those offered Standard Care (n=677), did not have greater biochemically confirmed abstinence at 6 months (17% vs 16%, p=0.58). However, the Sustained Care group reported more tobacco-cessation counseling and medication use at each follow-up and higher rates of self-reported past 7-day tobacco abstinence at 1 month (43% vs 32%, p<0.0001) and 3 months (37% vs 30%, p=0.008). At 6 months, the difference narrowed (31% vs 27%, p=0.09). Overall, the intervention increased self-reported 7-day abstinence over the 6-month follow-up (relative risk, 1.25; 95% CI=1.10, 1.40; p=0.0006).

CONCLUSIONS

A 3-month post-discharge smoking-cessation intervention for hospitalized smokers who wanted to quit did not increase confirmed tobacco abstinence at 6 months but did increase self-reported abstinence during the treatment period (3 months). Real-time linkage of interactive voice response calls to a quitline, done in this trial to increase scalability of a previously proven cessation intervention, demonstrated short-term promise but did not sustain long-term intervention effectiveness.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01714323.

Mechanisms and genetic factors underlying co-use of nicotine and alcohol or other drugs of abuse

Concurrent use of tobacco and alcohol or psychostimulants represents a major public health concern, with use of one substance influencing consumption of the other. Co-abuse of these drugs leads to substantial negative health outcomes, reduced cessation, and high economic costs, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Epidemiological data suggest that tobacco use during adolescence plays a particularly significant role. Adolescence is a sensitive period of development marked by major neurobiological maturation of brain regions critical for reward processing, learning and memory, and executive function. Nicotine exposure during this time produces a unique and long-lasting vulnerability to subsequent substance use, likely via actions at cholinergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic systems. In this review, we discuss recent clinical and preclinical data examining the genetic factors and mechanisms underlying co-use of nicotine and alcohol or cocaine and amphetamines. We evaluate the critical role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors throughout, and emphasize the dearth of preclinical studies assessing concurrent drug exposure. We stress important age and sex differences in drug responses, and highlight a brief, low-dose nicotine exposure paradigm that may better model early use of tobacco products. The escalating use of e-cigarettes among youth necessitates a closer look at the consequences of early adolescent nicotine exposure on subsequent alcohol and drug abuse.

Are recent attempts to quit smoking associated with reduced drinking in England? A cross-sectional population survey

BACKGROUND

Alcohol consumption during attempts at smoking cessation can provoke relapse and so smokers are often advised to restrict their alcohol consumption during this time. This study assessed at a population-level whether smokers having recently initiated an attempt to stop smoking are more likely than other smokers to report i) lower alcohol consumption and ii) trying to reduce their alcohol consumption.

METHOD

Cross-sectional household surveys of 6287 last-year smokers who also completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test consumption questionnaire (AUDIT-C). Respondents who reported attempting to quit smoking in the last week were compared with those who did not. Those with AUDIT-C≥5 were also asked if they were currently trying to reduce the amount of alcohol they consume.

RESULTS

After adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics and current smoking status, smokers who reported a quit attempt within the last week had lower AUDIT-C scores compared with those who did not report an attempt in the last week (βadj = -0.56, 95 % CI = -1.08 to -0.04) and were less likely to be classified as higher risk (AUDIT-C≥5: ORadj = 0.57, 95 % CI = 0.38 to 0.85). The lower AUDIT-C scores appeared to be a result of lower scores on the frequency of 'binge' drinking item (βadj = -0.25, 95 % CI = -0.43 to -0.07), with those who reported a quit attempt within the last week compared with those who did not being less likely to binge drink at least weekly (ORadj = 0.54, 95 % CI = 0.29 to 0.999) and more likely to not binge drink at all (ORadj = 1.70, 95 % CI = 1.16 to 2.49). Among smokers with higher risk consumption (AUDIT-C≥5), those who reported an attempt to stop smoking within the last week compared with those who did not were more likely to report trying to reduce their alcohol consumption (ORadj = 2.98, 95 % CI = 1.48 to 6.01).

CONCLUSION

Smokers who report starting a quit attempt in the last week also report lower alcohol consumption, including less frequent binge drinking, and appear more likely to report currently attempting to reduce their alcohol consumption compared with smokers who do not report a quit attempt in the last week.

Critical needs in drug discovery for cessation of alcohol and nicotine polysubstance abuse

Polysubstance abuse of alcohol and nicotine has been overlooked in our understanding of the neurobiology of addiction and especially in the development of novel therapeutics for its treatment. Estimates show that as many as 92% of people with alcohol use disorders also smoke tobacco. The health risks associated with both excessive alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking create an urgent biomedical need for the discovery of effective cessation treatments, as opposed to current approaches that attempt to independently treat each abused agent. The lack of treatment approaches for alcohol and nicotine abuse/dependence mirrors a similar lack of research in the neurobiology of polysubstance abuse. This review discusses three critical needs in medications development for alcohol and nicotine co-abuse: (1) the need for a better understanding of the clinical condition (i.e. alcohol and nicotine polysubstance abuse), (2) the need to better understand how these drugs interact in order to identify new targets for therapeutic development and (3) the need for animal models that better mimic this human condition. Current and emerging treatments available for the cessation of each drug and their mechanisms of action are discussed within this context followed by what is known about the pharmacological interactions of alcohol and nicotine. Much has been and will continue to be gained from studying comorbid alcohol and nicotine exposure.

The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) Waves 1 and 2: review and summary of findings

PURPOSE

The NESARC, a "third-generation" psychiatric epidemiologic survey that integrated detailed measures of alcohol and drug use and problems has been the data source for over >850 publications. A comprehensive review of NESARC findings and their implications is lacking.

METHOD

NESARC was a survey of 43,093 participants that covered alcohol, drug and psychiatric disorders, risk factors, and consequences. Wave 1 of the NESARC was conducted in 2001-2002. Three years later, Wave 2 follow-up re-interviews were conducted with 34,653 of the original participants. Scopus and Pubmed were used to search for NESARC papers, which were sorted into topic areas and summarized.

RESULT

The most common disorders were alcohol and posttraumatic stress disorders, and major depression. Females had more internalizing disorders and males had more externalizing disorders, although the preponderance of males with alcohol disorders (the "gender gap") was less pronounced than it was in previous decades. A race/ethnic "paradox" (lower risk among disadvantaged minorities than whites) remains unexplained. Younger participants had higher risk for substance and personality disorders, but not unipolar depressive or anxiety disorders. Psychiatric comorbidity was extensive and often formed latent trans-diagnostic domains. Since 1991-1992, risk for marijuana and prescription drug disorders increased, while smoking decreased, although smoking decreases were less pronounced among those with comorbidity. A nexus of comorbidity, social support, and stress predicted transitions in diagnostic status between Waves 1 and 2. Childhood maltreatment predicted psychopathology. Alcohol and drug use disorders were seldom treated; attitudinal barriers (little perceived need, perceived alcoholism stigma, pessimism about efficacy) were more important in predicting non-treatment than financial barriers.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding comorbidity and the effects of early stressors will require research incorporating biologic components, e.g., genetic variants and brain imaging. The lack of treatment for alcohol and drug disorders, predicted by attitudinal rather than financial variables, suggests an urgent need for public and professional education to reduce the stigma associated with these disorders and increase knowledge of treatment options.

Cigarette Smoking and Risk of Alcohol Use Relapse Among Adults in Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorders

BACKGROUND

Individuals in recovery from alcohol use disorders (AUDs) frequently continue to smoke cigarettes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between cigarette smoking status and risk of AUD relapse in adults with remitted AUDs among adults in the United States.

METHODS

Data were drawn from Wave 1 (2001 to 2002) and Wave 2 (2004 to 2005) of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Analyses included the subsample of respondents who completed both waves of data collection reported a history of alcohol abuse and/or dependence prior to Wave 1 (N = 9,134). Relationships between Wave 1 cigarette smoking status (nonsmoker, daily cigarette smoker, and nondaily cigarette smoker) and Wave 2 alcohol use, abuse, and dependence were examined using logistic regression analyses. Analyses were adjusted for Wave 1 demographics; mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders; nicotine dependence; and AUD severity.

RESULTS

Both daily and nondaily cigarette smoking at Wave 1 were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of alcohol use and a greater likelihood of alcohol abuse and dependence at Wave 2 compared to Wave 1 nonsmoking. These relationships remained significant after adjusting for demographics, psychiatric disorders, substance use disorders, AUD severity, and nicotine dependence.

CONCLUSIONS

Among adults with remitted AUDs, daily and nondaily use of cigarettes was associated with significantly decreased likelihood of alcohol use and increased likelihood of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence 3 years later. Concurrent treatment of cigarette smoking when treating AUDs may help improve long-term alcohol outcomes and reduce the negative consequences of both substances.

Defining and predicting short-term alcohol use changes during a smoking cessation attempt

INTRODUCTION

Alcohol and nicotine are commonly used substances in the U.S., with significant impacts on health. Using both substances concurrently impacts quit attempts. While studies have sought to examine changes in alcohol use co-occurring with tobacco cessation, results have not been consistent. Understanding these changes has clinical implications. The objective of this study is to identify changes in alcohol consumption that occur following tobacco cessation, as well as predictors of alcohol use patterns following a smoking cessation attempt.

METHODS

A secondary analysis of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of five tobacco cessation pharmacotherapies. Participants (N=1301) reported their smoking and alcohol consumption daily for two weeks prior to, and two weeks after, the target quit date (TQD).

RESULTS

Generally, alcohol use decreased post-TQD. Smokers who reported less pre-quit alcohol use, as well as smokers who were female, non-white, and had a history of alcohol dependence tended to use less alcohol post-quit. Pre- and post-quit alcohol use were more strongly related among men and among those without a history of alcohol dependence.

CONCLUSIONS

For most smokers alcohol use decreased following smoking cessation. These results suggest that the expectation should be of decreased alcohol use post cessation. However, attention may be warranted for those who drink higher amounts of alcohol pre-cessation because they may be more likely to drink more in the post-quit period which may influence smoking cessation success.

A Case Series of a Behavioral Activation−Enhanced Smoking Cessation Program for Inpatient Substance Users With Elevated Depressive Symptoms

Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the world and represents a critical public health problem. Smokers with substance use disorders and depressive symptoms have particular difficulties quitting smoking and represent an underserved population. The current study utilized a novel behavioral activation (BA)−enhanced smoking cessation treatment with three clients in residential substance use treatment who had elevated depressive symptoms. We present detailed descriptions of the treatment they received and the challenges they faced. Our clients, who received five individual BA-enhanced smoking cessation sessions and two follow-up booster sessions, benefited significantly from the BA treatment. Over an 8-week follow-up period, they did not relapse to smoking and experienced significant decreases in depressive symptoms. This suggests BA may be a beneficial treatment strategy for this particularly challenging population.

Gradual versus abrupt quitting among French treatment-seeking smokers

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the prevalence and predictors of gradual quitting among treatment-seeking smokers.

METHOD

This study examined quit attempts among 28,156 adult smokers who attended French smoking cessation services nationwide between 2007 and 2010. Predictors of gradual quitting were determined using multivariate regression models.

RESULTS

Only 4.4% quit gradually whereas 48.7% quit abruptly and 46.9% continued smoking. 34.1% of abrupt quitters and 31.9% of gradual quitters were abstinent at 1month post-quit (p=0.108). Gradual quitting was associated with: older age, heavy smoking at baseline, no previous quit attempts, low self-efficacy, baseline intake of anxiolytics, symptoms of depression and history of depressive episodes. Gradual quitters had a similar anxio-depressive profile than continued smokers but were more educated and more likely to have reported previous quit attempts. Prescription of oral nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) only as opposed to combination NRT doubled the odds of gradual quitting. Likelihood of gradual quitting compared with continued smoking improved with the number of follow-up visits.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that hard-to-treat smokers may be more likely to quit gradually than abruptly. However, intense follow-up with adapted treatment appears to be crucial to achieve cessation gradually in French smoking cessation services.