Researchers from Penn State College of Medicine and Duke University found that many light smokers (smoking 1-4 cigarettes per day) meet the criteria for nicotine addiction. In other words, even if you think you only smoke temporarily, or “restraint” from smoking two cigarettes a day, you are addicted to nicotine!
Research Findings
The researchers examined an existing National Institutes of Health data set that included more than 6,700 smokers who had undergone comprehensive assessments to determine whether they met DSM-5 criteria for tobacco use disorder. The results turned out to be very surprising and not promising.
In other words, even people who smoke not every week, but only occasionally, may become addicted; and as the frequency of smoking increases and the number of cigarettes per day increases, addiction becomes more likely.
To better understand this research, I have to mention the “DSM-5 Tobacco Use Disorders Criteria 11 Criteria”:
- Smoking a lot or for a long time.
- Very eager to quit smoking but often unable to quit.
- Spend a lot of time obtaining/buying tobacco or smoking.
- Have a strong desire or impulse to smoke.
- Often unable to complete tasks at work, school, or home due to smoking.
- Continuing to smoke despite ongoing or recurring social or interpersonal problems or exacerbations caused by cigarettes (e.g., quarrels with others over smoking).
- Giving up or reducing important social, occupational, or recreational activities due to smoking.
- Even though cigarettes are already harmful to the body, you still smoke frequently (such as smoking in bed)
- Continuing to smoke despite being aware of physical or psychological problems that may be caused or exacerbated by smoking.
- Cigarette tolerance occurs, that is, the amount of cigarettes needs to be significantly increased to achieve the desired effect, or the effect is significantly weakened after continued use of the same number of cigarettes.
- Withdrawal occurs, manifesting as a characteristic withdrawal syndrome, or smoking may be required to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Implications For Doctors
Jonathan Foltz, professor of public health sciences, psychiatry, and behavioral health at Pennsylvania State University, pointed out: In the past, some people believed that only patients who smoked about 10 or more cigarettes a day became addicted. Many people who smoke lighter, even those who do not People who smoke every day can become addicted to cigarettes. So, when we ask about smoking frequency, we need to be more precise. Clinicians need to ask smokers how many cigarettes they smoke per day to understand their addiction to nicotine.
The study found that the more frequently you smoke, the more severe your cigarette addiction becomes. Smokers who smoke less frequently (light smokers) still have difficulty quitting without help; non-daily smokers are more likely to quit than daily smokers. Therefore, clinicians should inquire about the smoking behavior of all patients, and while treating heavy smokers to quit smoking, they should also help non-daily smokers with smoking cessation treatment.
How To Help Patients Quit Smoking
- Ask: Ask all patients about tobacco use and exposure. Include whether you have ever smoked (tobacco use). Ask about the type of tobacco, such as e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, water pipes/hookahs, etc., and assess the amount of tobacco and nicotine used. Smokers’ dependence on nicotine was assessed by asking about the age at which they started smoking, the number of cigarettes smoked per day, and how soon after waking up in the morning they started smoking.
- Advice: That is, verbally recommending the patient to quit smoking and giving brief smoking cessation advice, such as “As your clinician, I need you to know that quitting smoking is the most important thing you can do now and in the future to protect your health.” Healthy. We will help you quit smoking.” Studies have shown that clinicians who provide brief (<5 minutes) smoking cessation advice at each visit can increase smoking cessation rates.
- Assessment: Assess your readiness to quit smoking. It includes the following five stages: pre-intentional stage (not ready to quit smoking), intention stage (intending to try to quit smoking), preparation stage (actively planning to try to quit smoking), action stage (actively participating in trying to quit smoking), and maintenance stage (completed quitting smoking).
- Assisting: Assisting patients to quit smoking. Help can be provided in the following aspects: setting a quit date, assisting in the development of a quit plan, providing smoking cessation counseling and training (text messages, online intervention, and mobile app consultation), and providing social support during treatment (informing quitters that medical staff will always support them) He), provide drug treatment (such as varenicline, bupropion, etc.).
- Arrange: arrange a follow-up visit. For those who successfully quit smoking, special attention should be paid to preventing relapse in the first three months. For those who successfully quit smoking, congratulate and encourage them to continue quitting smoking, understand the problems encountered during quitting, and predict the difficulties they may face; evaluate the use and efficacy of drugs; and remind patients of other available support resources (mobile APP for quitting smoking). For those who find it difficult to quit smoking, smoking cessation options should be further explored. For those who relapse, they should be encouraged to try to quit smoking again and strengthen behavioral or drug treatment.
Inspiration For Smokers
Although the results show that even a small amount of smoking can become addictive, it at least suggests that those who smoke less are more likely to successfully quit smoking. Therefore, smokers, if your addiction is not serious, you must seek help from a doctor as soon as possible and quit smoking with the assistance of a doctor. In addition to quitting smoking with the help of a doctor, what other ways can you increase your chances of quitting?
First, change your lifestyle and reduce stress. For example, carry out regular exercise and learn relaxation techniques, such as jogging, skipping rope, yoga, practicing Tai Chi, swimming, playing ball, etc.
Secondly, you should stay away from smokers and reduce your visits to places where smoking is allowed. If people around you smoke, ask them to quit smoking together.
When you realize that you want to smoke, keep some chewing gum, hard candies, melon seeds, carrots, dates, or other chewable foods with you. When cravings hit, try one of these instead.
Avoid the idea that “smoking a cigarette won’t hurt.” To learn what to expect during the quitting process and how to deal with problems that arise during this period, talk to your doctor or counselor.
Even if you start smoking again, don’t give up on quitting again. It takes most people several attempts to successfully quit smoking.
Finally, if you’ve never smoked, don’t try it! Please be kind to your lungs!