According to diagnostic criteria, even those who see themselves as leg smokers could be addicted to cigarettes.
According to findings published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers at Penn State College of Medicine and Duke University found that many light smokers – those who smoke one to four cigarettes a day – or less – meet the criteria for nicotine addiction and should therefore be considered for treatment.
“In the past, some people thought that only patients who smoke around 10 or more cigarettes a day were arrested, and I still hear that sometimes,” said Jonathan Foulds. , professor of public health sciences and mental and behavioral health, Penn State. “But this study shows that many lighter smokers, even those who do not smoke every day, can become addicted to cigarettes. He also suggests that we need to be more specific when asking about the frequency of cigarette smoking. ”
According to Jason Oliver, assistant professor of psychology and behavioral sciences, Duke University, when assessing nicotine addiction – clinically referred to as a ‘tobacco use disorder’ – full-time clinicians are encouraged evaluate the 11 criteria listed in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5). In short, he said, clinicians usually ask smokers how many cigarettes they smoke each day.
“Lighter smoking is rightly considered more harmful than heavy smoking, but there are still significant health risks,” said Oliver. “Medical providers sometimes find that lighter smokers are not addictive and therefore do not require treatment, but this study suggests that many of them may have a significant problem. stop unaided. ”
The researchers examined an existing dataset from the National Institutes of Health, including more than 6,700 smokers who were assessed in total to see if they met DSM-5 criteria for tobacco use disorder. They found that 85% of daily cigarette smokers were moderate – either mild, moderate or moderately ill.
“Surprisingly, nearly two-thirds of those who smoked just one to four cigarettes a day were addicted, and about a quarter of those who smoked were less than a weekly addict,” said Foulds.
The researchers found that the severity of cigarettes, as indicated by the number of criteria met, increased with the frequency of smoking, with 35% of those smoking one-to-one. -four cigarettes per day and 74% of those who smoke 21 or more cigarettes per day may be mostly or substantially addicted.
The findings appeared December 22 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
“This was the first time that the depth of cigarette addiction was explained across the full range of cigarette use,” said Foulds, a researcher at the Penn State Cancer Institute.
Oliver said the study highlights the prevalence of tobacco use disorder even among those perceived as light smokers and provides a basis from which treatment can begin to focus on the smoker. this population.
“Previous research has found that non-daily smokers are more likely to attempt smoking every day,” Oliver said. “Clinicians should ask about all smoking behaviors, including non-daily smoking, as smokers may still need treatment to successfully quit smoking. However, it is not clear to what extent conventional interventions are effective for light smokers. Continued efforts to identify the best ways to stop this population remain an important guide for future research. ”
(This story was published from a wire group group without altering the text.)
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