What’s it

In a recent study, researchers have found that if you’re trying to quit drinking, it may be very difficult for you if you are a smoker. Yale University researchers are working on the study, which showed the relation between smoking and drinking. They found that if you were smoking cigarettes during recovery when you are trying to quit drinking, may become more difficult for you.

People who are drinking and smoking are at greater risk of different health problems which include different types of cancer. Heavy drinkers and smokers are at a far greater risk than people who smoke or drink less. People who want to quit drinking, but are already addicted to smoking, are more likely to relapse. These medical problems may lead to other severe problems later.

The study

The study was done on both human and monkeys. The results were mentioned in a paper published in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers hired 27 male and female alcoholics and 25 people without alcohol problems. Both were separated into different groups. Their brains were scanned while they were undergoing treatment. The scientist wanted to find out the level of GABA A in the two groups.

Smoking and drinking

Many alcoholics also smoke cigarettes. It seems these two problems go hand-in-hand. Many people who have tried to give up drinking claim that if you are smoking while you’re trying to quit drinking, the quitting part becomes easier. People are probably fooling themselves and others, if we are to believe the results of the study recently done.

Previous research found that a neurotransmitter known as Gamma-amoinobutyric acid A or GABA A is involved in both smoking and drinking. The new study has discovered that the same neurotransmitter also has a role to play in case of people were trying to quit drinking but are continuing to smoke.

The results

From the data collected from analysis of the two groups, researchers found a clear link between availability of GABA A receptors in the case of people who drank and smoked. It meant that people who were trying to quit drinking, but continues working had more GABA A receptor activity in them than compared to the non-smokers. They also discovered that people, who smoked during their recovery period, also had double the cravings for alcohol. As a result, quitting drinking became more difficult.

They also conducted another interesting separate study using monkeys. They found that the nicotine present in the cigarettes was not the chemical that made it more difficult to quit drinking-it was something else. The researchers have to identify that chemical since cigarette smoke contains several different chemicals in it.

What it means

It means that people who are trying to quit alcohol will be most successful if they also quit smoking cigarettes. However, this is accepted that quitting smoking is harder than quitting any other type of addiction. Understanding the effect of smoking on GABA A receptors on people who are trying to quit alcohol will offer crucial insights for doctors who are trying to treat patients with the treatment of combine alcohol and nicotine dependence. This can be a very good news for people who are trying to quit smoking and drinking. It will be enlightening for people, doctors, parents and family members who were trying to or helping others to quit drinking as because it will mean a better understanding of the processes to be taken and avoiding smoking in the process. If you are trying to stop drinking, think about the benefits you’ll receive by stopping smoking.