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Smoking cessation efforts among substance abusing adolescents
Mark G Myers1, Laura MacPherson
1Department of Psychiatry, Psychology Service, 116B, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive University of California, San Diego, CA 92161, USA. mgmyers@ucsd.edu
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|January 17, 2004
Summary
Substance abusing adolescents frequently smoke cigarettes, often continuing into adulthood. Most adolescent smokers in treatment attempted quitting, but few succeeded, with health motivating cessation and cold turkey being the preferred method.
Area of Science:
- Addiction research
- Adolescent health
- Tobacco cessation
Background:
- Substance abusing youth are disproportionately heavy cigarette smokers.
- This behavior often persists into adulthood, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
- Understanding cessation patterns in this population is crucial for effective treatment design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe cessation efforts among adolescent smokers undergoing substance abuse treatment.
- To identify common motives and methods used for quitting smoking in this demographic.
- To inform the development of tailored smoking cessation programs for at-risk youth.
Main Methods:
- The study analyzed data from 183 adolescent participants (average age 16.2 years) receiving inpatient or outpatient substance abuse treatment.
- Participants' smoking cessation attempts, motives, and strategies were documented.
- Demographic information including gender and race was collected.
Main Results:
- The majority of participants (72% white, 45% female) had prior cessation attempts but experienced limited success in maintaining abstinence.
- Health concerns were a frequently reported motive for attempting to quit smoking.
- The most common quitting strategy reported was abrupt cessation ('cold turkey').
Conclusions:
- Adolescent smokers with substance abuse issues face significant challenges in quitting cigarettes.
- Health motivations are prominent, but cessation methods like 'cold turkey' may be less effective for sustained abstinence.
- Interventions should consider these factors to improve smoking cessation outcomes in this vulnerable population.