Survey of subjective effects of smoking while drinking among college students

Abstract

Prevalence of tobacco use among the college-aged population is approximately 30%; a significant percentage of students initiate use or transition to regular use during their college years. This study examined the relationship between drinking and smoking rates, subjective reactivity of concurrent effects of alcohol and tobacco use, and expectations of smoking while under the influence of alcohol in first-year college students. The sample consisted of ever-smokers (n=217), who had smoked at least once in the past year, with a mean age of 19.67 years. Weekly alcohol consumption was 18.53 standard drinks per week, with 2.95 drinking episodes per week. Of the sample, 54% were classified as smokers (smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime) and 46% were classified as experimenters (smoked less than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime). Results demonstrated that 74% of all smoking episodes occurred while under the influence of alcohol. Smokers had higher levels of alcohol use and reported greater subjective effects from the simultaneous use of alcohol and tobacco. Smokers also were more likely to generate expectancies acknowledging an increase in smoking while drinking and for smoking to enhance reinforcement from alcohol. Experimenters were most likely to report positive reinforcement from smoking while under the influence of alcohol. Overall, smokers experienced stronger subjective effects of concurrent alcohol and tobacco use; however, results suggest that smoking while under the influence of alcohol is a positive experience even for relatively inexperienced smokers.

College students' exposure to secondhand smoke

“…Daily smokers and nondaily smokers were more likely than nonsmokers to report exposure, which is not surprising given that they are more likely than other students to have friends who smoke and to frequent or live in locations where smoking occurs. Similarly, students who binge drink were more likely than other students to report exposure, which is likely to refl ect the co-occurrence of smoking and drinking among college students ( McKee, Hinson, Rounsaville, & Petrelli, 2004 ;Sher, Gotham, Erickson, & Wood, 1996 ). Living in residence locations associated with smoking, such as Greek houses and off-campus housing, also was associated with self-reported exposure.…”

Transitions into and out of light and intermittent smoking during emerging adulthood

“…With our data, we cannot tell if the smoking was paired with the binge drinking. However, other research with emerging adults has found that drinking makes smoking more pleasurable ( McKee et al, 2004 ). Observational studies and real-time assessments should be conducted to examine these temporal associations.…”

“…A key stimulus for smoking is alcohol drinking ( Shiffman & Balabanis, 1996 ). McKee et al (2004) found that 74% of all smoking occasions among college students occurred while under the infl uence of alcohol, and this percentage was higher for light smokers (86%) than for heavier smokers (63%). Binge-drinking episodes increased the likelihood that smoking would occur and would be pleasurable.…”

“…These increases are due, in part, to more freedom and less social control than during adolescence ( Arnett, 2005 ). Some researchers have attributed these increases specifi cally to the transition to college ( McKee, Hinson, Rounsaville, & Petrelli, 2004 ). During that transition, increases occur in both the initiation of smoking and the movement to regular smoking ( Wechsler, Rigotti, Gledhill-Hoyt, & Lee, 1998 ).…”

Predictors of adolescent smoking cessation and smoking reduction

“…Light and intermittent smoking compared to heavy smoking are under more stimulus control and often occur under the influence of alcohol and in social situations [6,7]. Therefore, mechanisms of adolescent smoking cessation might differ from those of adults.…”