Cigarette smoking quit rates among adults with and without alcohol use disorders and heavy alcohol use, 2002-2015: A representative sample of the United States population

Background: While the overall smoking quit rate has increased over time, it is not known whether the quit rate has also increased among persons with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) or heavy alcohol use (HAU). The current study examined quit rates among adults with and without AUDs and HAU over a 12-year period in a representative sample of US adults. Methods: Data were drawn from the National Household Survey on Drug Use, an annual cross-sectional study of US persons. Quit rate (i.e., the rate of former smokers to ever smokers) was calculated annually from 2002 to 2014 (for HAU) and 2015 (for AUD). Time trends in quit rates by AUD/HAU status were tested using linear regression. Results: The prevalence of past-month cigarette smoking was much higher for persons with, compared to without, AUDs (38% vs. 18%) and HAU (49% vs. 19%). In the most recent data year, the quit rate for persons with AUDs was approximately half that of persons without AUDs (26% versus 49%) and for persons with HAU was less than half that of persons without HAU (22% versus 48%). Over time, the smoking quit rate increased for persons with and without AUDs/HAU and the rate of increase was greater for persons with AUDs/HAU. Yet, quit rates for persons with AUDs and HAU remained much lower than persons without AUDs and HAU. Conclusions: It may be beneficial for public health and clinical efforts to incorporate screenings and treatment for tobacco use into programs for adults with AUDs and HAU.