Age at smoking onset and its association with alcohol consumption and DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence: Results from the national longitudinal alcohol epidemiologic survey

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-3289(99)80141-2Get rights and content

Abstract

The major purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of early onset smoking with lifetime drinking and the subsequent development of DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence using a large representative sample of the U.S. general population. Prevalences of lifetime drinking, alcohol abuse and dependence, and their associated severity were compared among smoking groups defined by age at onset of smoking and among nonsmokers. Linear logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between age at smoking onset and lifetime drinking, alcohol abuse and dependence, controlling for important covariates. Early onset smoking was a significant predictor of lifetime drinking and the subsequent development of lifetime alcohol abuse and dependence, a relationship that generally remained consistent for males, females, whites and blacks. Early onset smoking was significantly associated with more excessive alcohol consumption and more severe alcohol use disorders relative to late onset smokers and nonsmokers. Early onset smoking was also significantly associated with heavier and longer smoking careers compared to late onset smokers. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of prevention of adolescent smoking and the need for further research on understanding the mechanisms underlying the associations between early onset smoking and lifetime drinking, alcohol abuse and dependence.

References (21)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (166)

  • Effects of adolescent alcohol exposure via oral gavage on adult alcohol drinking and co-use of alcohol and nicotine in Sprague Dawley rats

    2022, Drug and Alcohol Dependence
    Citation Excerpt :

    Intraperitoneal EtOH injections in adolescent rats also increased adult EtOH drinking (Alaux-Cantin et al., 2013; Pandey et al., 2015; Rodd-Henricks et al., 2002). Human adolescents often initiate tobacco use concomitantly with alcohol drinking (Hoffman et al., 2001), and this pattern continues as adults (Grant, 1998). Adolescent alcohol exposure alters adult nicotine sensitivity, increasing abuse liability (Dierker et al., 2013).

View all citing articles on Scopus
View full text