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Casual smoking can lead to nicotine addiction, says study
According to diagnostic criteria, even those who consider themselves to be casual smokers might be addicted to cigarettes.
Washington: According to diagnostic criteria, even those who consider themselves to be casual smokers might 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 per day or fewer -- meet the criteria for nicotine addiction and should therefore be considered for treatment.
"In the past, some considered that only patients who smoke around 10 cigarettes per day or more were addicted, and I still hear that sometimes," said Jonathan Foulds, professor of public health sciences and psychiatry and behavioral health, Penn State. "But this study demonstrates that many lighter smokers, even those who do not smoke every day, can be addicted to cigarettes. It also suggests that we need to be more precise when we ask about cigarette smoking frequency."
According to Jason Oliver, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Duke University, when assessing nicotine addiction -- clinically referred to as 'tobacco use disorder' -- clinicians are encouraged to fully assess the 11 criteria listed in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5). As a shortcut, he said, clinicians more typically ask smokers how many cigarettes they smoke per day.
"Lighter smoking is correctly perceived as less harmful than heavy smoking, but it still carries significant health risks," Oliver said. "Medical providers sometimes perceive lighter smokers as not addicted and, therefore, not in need of treatment, but this study suggests many of them may have significant difficulty quitting without assistance."
Oliver added that the study highlights the high prevalence of tobacco use disorder even among those considered to be light smokers and provides a basis from which treatment can begin to target this population.
"Previous research has found that non-daily smokers are more likely than daily smokers to make a quit attempt," Oliver said. "Clinicians should ask about all smoking behavior, including non-daily smoking, as such smokers may still require treatment to successfully quit smoking. Yet, it is unclear the extent to which existing interventions are effective for light smokers. Continued efforts to identify optimal cessation approaches for this population remain an important direction for future research." (ANI)