The association of smoking and drinking habits in a community sample.

Abstract

A questionnaire on alcohol and tobacco use was administered to 1089 subjects, aged 18 and older, in Washington County, Maryland [USA]. A composite measure, degree of drinking, was derived from responses to questions about quantity and frequency of alcohol use. Smoking was measured by the number of cigarettes or cigars smoked per day and ounces of pipe tobacco per week. In men and women the degree of drinking was modestly associated with degree of cigarette smoking. The greater the amount of cigarette smoking, the greater the degree of drinking. Of the 463 men, 6.3% were both heavy drinkers (an average of 7 or more drinks/occasion or 3 or more drinks daily) and smokers. Of the 626 women, 7.8% were moderate (3-6 drinks/occasion or 1-2 drinks daily) or heavy drinkers and smokers. The 6-7% of the adult population who are both smokers and heavy drinkers might be addiction prone and at high risk for developing drinking problems. Early alcoholism identification efforts should be focused on this subgroup. Alcoholivs who do not smoke might represent a distinct subgroup for whom heavy drinking may be a manifestation of underlying psychological distress.