8 of 10 in Addiction Treatment Smoke Cigarettes

Smoking cigarettes is a common occurrence among those in addiction recovery. Before and after recovery meetings, people can be seen smoking; making it fair to say that tobacco is often times the last vice to be given up. If a person with a substance use disorder checks into a recovery center, it is likely that a patient’s tobacco use will be addressed and options will be made available to assist them with smoking cessation. However, giving up cigarettes is rarely a requirement for a number of reasons.

A review of studies has shown that 8 out of 10 people in addiction treatment smoke cigarettes, according to U.S. News & World Report. The findings come from a review of 54 tobacco studies comprised of more than 37,000 people in addiction treatment in 20 countries. The review did not include data from the United States.

"When people come into treatment for drugs and alcohol, we are not treating another addiction that has a significant chance of eventually killing them, which is tobacco use," said study leader Joseph Guydish, a professor of medicine and health policy at UCSF, in a university news release. 

While the current review of studies did not include U.S. data, Guydish’s earlier research indicated that 76 percent of patients in American treatment facilities smoked compared to 84 percent internationally, according to the article. Among the general public, less than 18 percent in the U.S. and 31 percent internationally smoke.

"Every person who enters substance abuse treatment ought to have their tobacco use evaluated and treated," Guydish said. "If they don't want to be treated and quit right away, they should have some education to help them think more about quitting." 

The findings were published in the journal Addiction.