The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

ASHES, Vol. 14(2) - Smoking: Is just one cigarette a day dangerous?

This week, ASHES reviews a study by Allan Hackshaw and colleagues that explores whether smoking one cigarette each day relates to stroke and coronary heart disease. Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 14(1) - Housing status and tobacco cessation among high-risk US veterans

As part of our Special Series on Addiction and Homelessness, ASHES reviews a study examining the relationship between housing status and use of tobacco cessation counseling services among US veterans with PTSD. Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 13(13) - Smoking for two? Quit intentions and attempts during pregnancy

In 2014, over eight percent of women who gave birth in the United States smoked cigarettes during pregnancy. In addition to the harm that smoking does to a person’s body in general, smoking during pregnancy is also associated with a number of negative health outcomes and even death for the infant. Not surprisingly, many women who smoke consider quitting when they become pregnant. However, we need to learn more about how women’s intentions and attempts to quit smoking evolve throughout the course of pregnancy. This week, ASHES reviews a British study by Dr. Sue Cooper and her colleagues that investigates... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 13(12) – Are cigarette prices and smoking bans effective levers for change?

Policymakers and advocates often argue that increasing the “cost” of smoking – whether in the form of an increase in cigarette price, or in the form of the added inconvenience for a smoker to step outside the bar/restaurant -- causes individuals to smoke less. This week the ASHES reviews a longitudinal study conducted by Dr. Amy H. Auchincloss and colleagues that followed individuals over time to see how these policy levers were associated with their smoking behavior. What is the research question? Are changes in local cigarette prices and/or smoking bans at bars/restaurants associated with changes in smoking behavior? What... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 13(11) - Availability of tobacco screening at substance use disorder treatment: A holistic approach

More than two-thirds of people seeking treatment for Substance Use Disorders (SUD) smoke cigarettes. Incorporating smoking cessation as part of SUD treatment has been difficult for varying reasons, including norms of tobacco use among those in treatment, the high prevalence of use among treatment providers, and the perception that quitting smoking might negatively impact SUD treatment and recovery. As a recent ASHES highlighted, smokers can be successful in quitting smoking during SUD treatment. This week, ASHES reviews a study by Amanda Abraham and her colleagues that assessed the impact state tobacco control policies have on the availability of screening for... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 13(10) – The relationship between e-cigarettes and youth smoking uptake

There is some evidence that e-cigarettes help people quit smoking. However, they have also been linked to taking up traditional cigarette smoking, particularly among young people. Whether e-cigarettes represent a public health (or harm) could depend on the overall extent of this relationship. This week, ASHES reports on a study by Samir Soneji and colleagues that examined the association between youth e-cigarette use, smoking initiation, and past-month cigarette use. This review is part of our Special Series on Youth Risky Behavior. What is the research question? Are youth and young adults[1] who have used e-cigarettes more likely to smoke traditional... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 13(9) – Does contingency management help smokers with alcohol dependence quit smoking?

Individuals with alcohol dependence have much higher rates of tobacco use than the general population. Clinical practice guidelines suggest that smokers receiving treatment for other substance use be offered evidence-based treatment for smoking cessation. One such treatment is contingency management, where patients receive positive reinforcement for engaging in behaviors that lead to abstinence or reduced smoking. This week, ASHES reviews a study done by Judith Conney and her colleagues that evaluates contingency management as an intervention for smoking cessation among patients receiving treatment for alcohol use problems. What was the research question? Does contingency management help veterans in treatment for... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 13(8) – Daughters of mothers who smoke: Are they more likely to smoke during their own pregnancies?

Editor's note: Ms. Julia Peterson, an undergraduate student at Oberlin College, wrote the following research review. Ms. Peterson is completing the Division on Addiction's Summer Research Mentorship program. Children of mothers who smoke during pregnancy are at risk for a variety of adverse health outcomes, and are more likely than others to smoke and become dependent on nicotine as adults. However, as of 2013, an estimated 9% of women in the United States still smoked during pregnancy. When studying the population of mothers who smoke during pregnancy, it is important to consider intergenerational effects – that is, are daughters of... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 13(7) – Child cognitive ability and smoking in adulthood: Does education also affect the ability to start and stop?

Children with relatively low IQ levels are more likely than others to take up smoking as adults; they also have a harder time quitting. Can education break this cycle? This week, ASHES reviews a prospective study by Michael Daly and Mark Egan examining the relationship between childhood intelligence, lifetime educational attainment, and adult smoking behavior. What is the research question? What is the relationship between child cognitive ability and smoking behavior in adulthood, when accounting for educational attainment? What did the researchers do? The authors analyzed data from 16,653 individuals involved in two separate birth cohort studies: the 1970 British... Read more →

ASHES, Vol. 13(6) - Where there’s smoke: LGB young adults' use of other tobacco products

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals are more likely than heterosexual individuals to smoke and use other tobacco products. Although acceptance of so-called sexual minorities has increased in recent years, coming out to friends, family, and coworkers can still be stressful. When LGB individuals are rejected by those they know, it can lead to an increase in both substance use and later substance misuse. This week, as part of our Special Series on Addiction among the LGBTQ+ Community, ASHES reviews a study by Fallin-Bennett and her colleagues that dives deeper into tobacco and nicotine use among LGB individuals by exploring... Read more →