Addiction

Background and AimsDue to the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey mode of the Smoking and Alcohol Toolkit Study, a long-running repeat cross-sectional survey, had to change from face-to-face to telephone interviews. This study aimed to assess similarities and differences in sociodemographic, smoking, alternative nicotine and alcohol use estimates between the two survey modes, to understand the potential impacts of this change in methodology on prevalence estimates and trends over time. DesignAfter CO...

BackgroundThe impact of the COVID-19 crisis on potentially harmful alcohol consumption is unclear. AimsTo test whether the prevalence of problem drinking has changed from before to during the COVID-19 crisis in the US and UK. Design/SettingWe examined nationally representative longitudinal data on how problem drinking has changed from pre-pandemic levels among adults in the US (N=7,327; Understanding America Study) and UK (N=12,594; UK Household Longitudinal Study). MethodsIn the US, we exami...

Withdrawal statementThe authors have withdrawn this preprint because peer review resulted in substantial changes to analysis methods, outcomes, and interpretation. Hence the final peer-reviewed version is substantially different from this preprint. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as reference for the project. Please instead see the peer-reviewed version available at http://doi.org/10.1111/add.70184 and if you have any questions, please contact the corresponding author.

AimsTo examine the association between household members and their tobacco smoking behaviour on patterns of smoking cessation and relapse. Design and participantsData was sourced from 19 waves (years 2001 to 2019) of the nationally representative Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, with all household members 15 years or older completing the survey annually. The final sample included, on average, 3,056 ex-smokers and 2,612 smokers per wave. MeasurementsSelf-reporte...

BackgroundTobacco smoking rates in alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment settings is much higher than in the general Australian population. As a result, people seeking treatment for AOD use experience a greater tobacco-related burden of illness. Attempts to reduce smoking rates in AOD treatment consumers have failed to identify smoking cessation strategies with long term effectiveness. The primary aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of nicotine vaporised products (NVPs) or nicotin...

Background and AimsCytisine is an effective and affordable smoking cessation aid, but traditional 25-day tapering regimens may be suboptimal. We aimed to determine the optimal treatment duration and dosing pattern for cytisine through systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials. DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO:CRD420251055773). We searched PubMed, CENTRAL, and Embase from inception to May 14, 2025. SettingSeven randomized con...

ObjectiveTo examine age-specific trends in patterns of nicotine use in England between 2014 and 2024, including types of products used, exclusive and dual use of smoking and vaping, smoking frequency, and the smoking history of those who vape. DesignRepeat monthly cross-sectional analysis of data from a nationally representative survey (the Smoking Toolkit Study). SettingEngland, 2014-2024. Participants217,433 adults ([≥]18y). Main outcome measuresPrevalence of (non-medicinal) nicotine us...

AimsTo update a previous typology of British alcohol drinking occasions using a more recent and expanded dataset and revised modelling procedure. To estimate the average consumption level, prevalence of heavy drinking, and distribution of total alcohol consumption and heavy drinking within and across occasion types. DesignCross-sectional latent class analysis of event-level diary data. SettingGreat Britain, 2019. Cases43,089 drinking occasions reported by 17,821 adult drinkers. MeasurementsT...

BackgroundVaping cessation is virtually unexplored. The efficacy and safety of varenicline for vaping cessation has not been studied and rigorous research is required to advance best practice and outcomes for e-cigarettes users who want to quit. MethodsEligible patients were randomized to either varenicline (1 mg, administered twice daily for 12 weeks) or placebo treatment (administered twice daily, for 12 weeks) combined with vaping cessation counseling. The trial consisted of a 12-week treatm...

BackgroundAlcohol-free and low-alcohol (no/lo) drinks ([≤]1.2% ABV) are increasingly popular in high-income countries. Their potential to reduce alcohol-related harm depends on who buys them, in what quantity, and their incorporation into overall drinking patterns. We aimed to (i) compare characteristics of purchases containing only no/lo drinks, only alcoholic drinks, or both, over time between 2018 and 2023; (ii) identify subgroups with distinct purchasing patterns in 2023; and (iii) descri...

PurposeWhile a growing body of research categorizes early drinking behaviors into experimentation and initiation, factors driving the transition remain underexplored. This study examined individual and environmental influences on the time from alcohol experimentation to initiation among preadolescent youth. MethodsData came from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (2016-2021). Experimentation was defined as first sip and initiation as first full drink during follow-up. Exten...

BackgroundPsychotherapy is proven efficacious for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, the patient-perceived importance of its effect is not fully appreciated in the evidence base. The smallest worthwhile difference (SWD) represents the smallest beneficial effect of an intervention that patients deem worthwhile in exchange for the harms, expenses, and inconveniences associated with the intervention, and facilitates the interpretation of patient perceived worthiness of an interve...

Background and AimsThe onset of the COVID-19 pandemic led to significant changes in individual-level alcohol consumption and a sharp increase in heavy drinking in the UK. More recently, high rates of inflation, the resulting cost-of-living crisis and reforms to alcohol taxation have affected the affordability of alcohol, but little is understood about how these changes have impacted on alcohol sales and consumption. We aimed gain insights into recent trends in alcohol sales by assessing changes...

ImportanceAlcohol use is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Growing evidence suggests that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) may represent a novel potential pharmacotherapeutic tool for alcohol use disorder (AUD). ObjectiveTo examine the association between GLP-1RA prescriptions and alcohol use. DesignThis cohort study used a cross-sectional measure of alcohol consumption and longitudinal electronic health record (EHR) data collected between 1981 and Octob...

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has altered the conditions leading people to smoke. Multiple studies have examined changes in population levels of smoking at the start of the pandemic. However, conclusions remain mixed due to the high proportion of studies with poor methods and short follow-up periods. MethodsThis study used longitudinal data from the UKHLS COVID-19 study to derive smoking trajectories among 4,130 UK adults aged 35-64 across four time points over the first year of the pandemic ...

BackgroundSocial media may influence children and young peoples health behaviour, including smoking and e-cigarette use. MethodsWe analysed data from participants aged 10-25 in the UK Household Longitudinal Study 2015-2022. The amount of social media use reported on a normal weekday, was related to current tobacco smoking and e-cigarette use. Generalised Estimating Equation (GEE) logistic regression models investigated associations of social media use with tobacco and e-cigarette use. Models co...

ImportanceA wide range of medications, non-combustible nicotine products, behavioural support, and alternative treatments are available in England to help people stop smoking. Understanding their effectiveness in the real world can support informed decision-making. ObjectivesTo provide up-to-date estimates of the prevalence and real-world effectiveness of different smoking cessation aids and explore moderation of effectiveness by socioeconomic position. DesignPopulation-based survey, 2006-2024...

BackgroundThe UK Government intends to implement a smokefree generation policy prohibiting the sale of all tobacco products to people born after 2008. National surveys provide comprehensive data on cigarette smoking, but little is known about patterns of non-cigarette tobacco smoking across key population groups. MethodsUsing data from a nationally-representative cross-sectional survey of adults ([≥]18y) in England, collected monthly between September-2013 and September-2023 (n=196,721), we...

BackgroundConcerns have been raised that e-cigarettes have created a new generation of people addicted to nicotine. This study aimed to examine changes in the proportion of US high-school students reporting symptoms of nicotine dependence over the past decade, in the context of changing patterns of nicotine product use. MethodsRepeat cross-sectional analyses of a nationally-representative sample of 107,968 US high-school students (14-18y) participating in the 2014-2023 National Youth Tobacco Su...

Background and AimsTobacco smoking has declined dramatically in the many high-income countries over the past seventy years. Studies that have mapped this trend have relied on repeat cross-sectional or retrospectively measured smoking data which has limitations regarding accurate measurement, inclusion of early smokers, and capturing of within-person change over time. Here, we (1) introduce a new resource detailing harmonisable smoking data in four British birth cohort studies spanning 1946-2018 ...