Cigarette smoking cessation attempts by recovering alcoholics.

Survey data on the smoking cessation experiences of 77 recovering alcoholics are reported. A comparison of successful and unsuccessful quitters addressed questions about optimal timing of cessation efforts, relative severity of alcohol and tobacco abuse histories, and the impact of cessation efforts on the maintenance of sobriety. Findings suggest that recovering alcoholics can successfully quit smoking without jeopardizing sobriety but that individuals with more severe substance abuse histories may be less successful. Although successful quitters tended to wait longer before attempting cessation, a comparison of the two groups was not statistically significant.