Cigarette smoking and ADHD: An examination of prognostically relevant smoking behaviors among adolescents and young adults.

Abstract

Introduction Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with health risks in adolescence which includes the potential for smoking cigarettes, early smoking initiation, and rapid progression to daily smoking. Much less is known, however, about prognostically-relevant smoking behaviors among individuals with childhood ADHD. Further research in this area is important for identifying individuals at pronounced risk for nicotine addiction, and for developing effective interventions for this population. Method This study examined initiation of cigarette smoking, progression to regular smoking, quantity of use, indicators of tobacco dependence, and quit rates among adolescents and young adults with (n=364) and without (n=240) childhood ADHD. Results Individuals with, versus without, ADHD histories were significantly more likely to become daily smokers independent of conduct disorder. They were also more likely to initiate smoking at younger ages and to progress to regular smoking more quickly. There were no significant group differences in cigarettes smoked per day, Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence or Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale scores or in smoking within 30 min of waking. However, smokers with ADHD reported more intense withdrawal and craving during periods of abstinence than nonADHD smokers. There were no significant group differences in number of quit attempts. Lastly, there were no significant differences among symptom persisters and desisters in daily smoking and amount. Conclusions Individuals with ADHD histories are at high risk for persistent smoking given their early onset, rapid course, and abstinence characteristics. Smoking cessation programs may need to be adapted or otherwise intensified for those with ADHD.

Substance use through adolescence into early adulthood after childhood‐diagnosed ADHD: findings from the MTA longitudinal study

“…Our findings confirm the most consistently reported SU risk associated with ADHD – cigarette smoking – 36% of ADHD vs. 18% of LNCG. Similar large group differences were reported in smaller and/or single‐site studies (Barkley et al., ; Klein et al., ; Lambert & Hartsough, ; Rhodes et al., ). Given the well‐established negative health consequences of cigarette smoking (e.g., Lubin & Caporaso, ), and that cessation is especially difficult for those with ADHD (Humfleet et al., ; Mitchell, Weisner et al., ), the need for improved smoking prevention in ADHD is substantial.…”

“…Early, frequent, or heavy adolescent SU poses a well‐known risk for later SU disorder (Chassin, Pitts, & Prost, ; Chen, Storr, & Anthony, ; Nelson, van Ryzin, & Dishion, ). Several longitudinal studies inconsistently report about early initial use for various substances among adolescents with ADHD (Groenman et al., ; Molina & Pelham, ; Molina, Pelham, Gnagy, Thompson, & Marshal, ; Rhodes et al., ; Sibley et al., ). A few of these studies reported atypically frequent and/or heavy use (Burke, Loeber, & Lahey, ; Molina & Pelham, ; Molina et al., , ; Sibley et al., ).…”

A cross-disorder MR-pheWAS of 5 major psychiatric disorders in UK Biobank

“…We were able to replicate previously reported associations between genetic liability for ADHD and lower educational attainment (12, 13), higher prevalence of smoking (14), younger age at delivery (15) and higher body mass index (16). While the previous findings for smoking and BMI were identified in young adults, our findings using an adult population-based sample with a mean age of 56 years, suggest that associations of childhood psychiatric disorder genetic liabilities with health and social outcomes persist into later adulthood.…”

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptom Status in a Mixed Gender Population of Opioid-Maintained Prison Inmates

“…Further, other aspects, for example, the type of criminal offenses and overdose-related incidents, were included in the analysis. The variables were chosen according to previous work in this field, which showed that they might be associated with symptoms of ADHD: imprisonment [11,32], nicotine consumption [33,34], employment [35,36], gender [37,38], type of committed crimes [39], and hospital admissions [40]. High-risk drug use (e.g., Intravenous drug use, overdose-related incidences) was chosen as it has been shown to be associated with impulsivity [41][42][43].…”