A study led by researchers in the United States has found that people recovering from alcohol and drug addiction may improve their chances of long-term recovery by quitting smoking. Results of this study are published in ‘JAMA Psychiatry’.

Led by scientists at the US National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the study analyzed data from more than 2,600 adults who had a history of substance use disorder. Participants were followed for four years as part of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, a long-term national survey that tracks tobacco and substance use.

Researchers found that individuals who quit smoking were 42 per cent more likely to recover from non-tobacco-related substance use disorders compared with those who continued to smoke. The findings highlight the strong link between nicotine addiction and other forms of substance dependence, reported the ‘Medical Xpress’.