Cutting down on alcohol may reduce cigarette craving

In a study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental, researchers of University of Chicago have found out that smoking is related to alcohol consumption, and reduction to alcohol intake may help the smokers to smoke less.

Scientists for the study think that people who want to quit smoking needs to abstain from drinking in order to experience the lesser effects of a withdrawal symptom. Limiting alcohol intake to one or two drinks per occasion will reduce the intensity of craving for smoke in smokers considerably.

The study says not only moderate to heavy smokers but also the light smokers who don’t smoke more than a dozen cigarettes a week may also be benefited from their abstinence from alcohol. The study found out those alcoholic beverages increases the desire to smoke considerably in people. The study says that even while drinking alone, smokers find it pleasurable to smoke more when under the influence of the alcohol, giving proof to the fact that alcohol intake does increase the urge to indulge in smoking in people, irrespective of the number of cigarettes smoked by the person normally.

Reference: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental, issue April 2005