Study Finds Quitting Smoking is Associated with Improved Recovery from Other Substance Use Disorders

Findings from a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) study show that quitting cigarette smoking is associated with improved recovery outcomes from other substance use disorders.

Using data from more than 2,600 adults participating in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, a nationally representative study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, researchers examined changes in smoking status and recovery outcomes over a four-year period. The analysis found that individuals who quit smoking had 42% greater odds of being in sustained remission from their non-tobacco substance use disorder compared to those who continued smoking.

“We now have strong evidence from a national sample that quitting cigarette smoking predicts improved recovery from other substance use disorders,” said Nora Volkow, M.D., director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

The authors note that despite the strong association between smoking cessation and improved recovery outcomes, tobacco use is often treated as a secondary concern in treatment settings. 

“Although the health benefits of quitting smoking are well-known, smoking cessation has not been seen as a high priority in drug addiction treatment programs,” explained Wilson Compton, M.D., deputy director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and senior author of the study. “This finding bolsters support for including smoking cessation as part of addiction treatment.”

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