Was it the drink? The conditioned association of alcohol and desire to quit smoking on the dual use of little cigars/cigarillos and cigarettes among men and women

Abstract

Introduction: Dual use of little cigars/cigarillos (LCCs) with cigarettes is becoming more popular; especially among men, but infrequently studied. Dual tobacco users show a higher prevalence of health-risk behaviors such as drug and alcohol use, are likely exposed to higher levels of nicotine and tobacco-related toxicants, and have greater difficulty quitting and maintaining abstinence. This study examined the effects of alcohol use, and desire to quit smoking on dual use of LCCs and cigarettes among men and women.

Methods: Data utilized responses from a screening survey of 571 adult smokers. Basic demographic information, current cigarette use, desire to quit smoking, frequency of current LCC use, and alcohol and drug use were collected.

Results: Dual users were more likely to be male and younger, report drug use in the past 90-days, and have a lower desire to quit smoking. Regression analyses showed a 3-way interaction of gender, alcohol use frequency, and desire to quit smoking, such that men who drank alcohol more frequently who had a higher desire to quit smoking used LCCs more frequently than men with a lower desire to quit.

Discussion: Alcohol use may be a risk factor for men's dual use of LCCs and cigarettes among those who want to quit smoking. Implications for prevention and treatment are discussed.

Keywords: Alcohol use; Cigarettes; Gender; Little cigars/cigarillos; Tobacco.