The researchers found that those who tried to cut on tobacco drank less alcohol, and were less likely to binge drink, compared to those who didn’t try to quit smoking. Lead author Jamie Brown said, “These results go against the commonly held view
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that people who stop smoking tend to drink more to compensate. It’s possible that they are heeding advice to try to avoid alcohol because of its link to relapse.”
The reason for such association is still unclear. People trying to quit smoking could be cutting on alcohol to avoid relapse. It may also be possible that people who drink less are more likely to quit smoking.
Brown concluded, “We can’t yet determine the direction of causality. Further research is needed to disentangle whether attempts to quit smoking precede attempts to restrict alcohol consumption, or vice versa. We’d also need to rule out other factors which make both more likely.”
Also, read Bel Marra Health’s article: Southern states falling behind on smoking bans: CDC.