Rethinking drinking

For very many smokers, drinking and smoking go together hand in hand. Consequently, when smokers try to quit smoking they often find that having a drink of alcohol triggers the desire to also have a smoke. In addition, once alcohol starts to cloud our thinking, ex-smokers sometimes “forget” that they are trying to quit smoking. So you are in a better position to quit smoking if you are already in control of your drinking, and able to avoid it completely if you wanted to during the first month of an attempt to quit smoking.

A new website has just been launched to help people check their drinking pattern, identify potential problems, and take steps to make sure their drinking is under control. http://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov was developed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) to provide the best evidence-based advice to people who may have a drinking problem. It is very user-friendly and includes links to other resources. I’d recommend it to anyone who wonders if they may be drinking too much. It could also help you ensure your drinking is under control prior to a quit attempt.

For additional information on alcohol use while trying to quit smoking, check out:

Effects of alcohol on smoking cessation – 1. 5/29/07 http://www.healthline.com/blogs/smoking_cessation/2007/05/effects-of-alcohol-on-smoking-cessation.html

Effects of alcohol on smoking cessation – 2. 5/29/07 http://www.healthline.com/blogs/smoking_cessation/2007/05/effects-of-alcohol-on-smoking-cessation_29.html

Labels: alcohol problem relapse, cessation, cigarette smoking, jonathan foulds, NIAAA, rethinking drinking

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