Quitting Smoking and Reduced Alcohol Consumption

     Quitting smoking and you will likely as not lower your alcohol consumption.  This is the observations of James Brown of University College London.   “Adults who attempted to quit smoking in the past week consumed less alcohol than those who weren’t trying to give up cigarettes.   And now, according to Medical News Today government warnings are now suggesting that those looking to stop smoking should lower their alcohol intake or just abstain from it completely.   It had previously been accepted that those looking to quit smoking would up their alcohol intake as a way of coping for the lack of nicotine.”

     This is an interesting conclusion that I truly understand.   From personal experience years ago, when I quit smoking there were two places that I avoided for quite some time.  First of all was the bars, smoking goes right along with having cocktails and conversation, especially when there are a lot of people smoking.   Second was the coffee shop for the same reason.   I did find, however that after about a year, I could start going to the bars again and not have a terrible urge to smoke. 

     I think that what they found is a short term effect rather than something that carries on for the long term.  I think that it depends on the individual and their will power around other smokers.   Jamie Brown and colleagues found that adults who have attempted to quit smoking in the past week consume less alcohol than smokers who have not tried to quit.   While smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, with around 40 million American adults are currently smoking cigarettes, 70 percent of smokers say they want to quit the habit.   In order help with the quitting process, health officials recommend reducing alcohol intake or abstaining from it altogether.

     I know for me I did not go to a bar for at least a month after I decided to quit smoking, but as the desire for nicotine diminished, I could comfortably go to bars again without craving a cigarette.   I feel that they have arrived at a very valid conclusion, but I feel that this is just a temporary thing that will, after a period of time, will be reversed.