Smoking and drinking often go together, even for people who drink responsibly but may have smoked in the past once in a while. Potential health problems surface when people drink and smoke regularly. Smoking and drinking can become addictions. Combining alcohol and tobacco can intensify the effects.
Identification
People who drink alcohol are more likely to smoke. The heavier they drink, the more they smoke, according to Medical News Today reports on a study published in the April 2005 issue of "Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research." Alcohol increases the urge to smoke even among light smokers. Moderate drinking --two drinks a day for men and a drink a day for women--may offer benefits for some people. Frequent drinking, especially when combined with smoking, increases the risk of health disorders.
Effects
Smoking and heavy drinking each increase the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. When combined, the increased risk is even greater. Drinking and smoking together puts people at higher risk for cancers of the mouth and throat,according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Smoking may increase the risk of diseases more than alcohol, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) says. Recovering alcoholics are more likely to die from tobacco-related diseases--including heart disease, lung disease and cancers of the head, mouth and throat--than from alcohol-related disorders. However, alcohol abuse and alcoholism still create great risks for heart, lung and liver disease.
Potential
Alcoholics are three times more likely than the general population to smoke, according to the NIAAA. Mood and anxiety disorders are risk factors for alcoholism and nicotine dependence. Environmental factors may be involved in smoking and drinking habits if a person is around family members or friends who smoke and drink on a regular basis.
Considerations
Many alcoholics in recovery also smoke, but other recovering alcoholics have managed to quit smoking. Smoking cessation during or after an alcoholic recovery program helps increase the chances of giving up cigarettes because alcohol is not there to intensify tobacco cravings, the AAFP notes. Some smokers have successfully quit smoking before giving up drinking, but heavy drinkers usually concentrate on giving up alcohol first. Alcohol and other drugs, such as caffeine, increase the urge to smoke, so people who quit smoking usually stay away from alcohol or coffee when they first quit.
Theories/Speculation
Similarities exist in quitting alcohol and tobacco. Both addictions require a one-step-at-a-time approach, according to the AAFP. Many smokers and alcoholics feel powerless from the addictions and often admit they need help. Treatment for both addictions includes therapy, group support and assistance from family and friends.
