Study Shows Strong Link Between Smoking, Opioid Use

https://meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/ A new analysis of data from AHRQ’s Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) revealed a strong link between smoking and opioid use, emphasizing the need for integrated treatment programs. Data from 2013 to 2021 from MEPS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey show that although only 37 percent of the population has ever smoked, smokers account for 69 percent of annual prescription opioid use. Heavy smokers, just 12 percent of the population, collectively use as many opioids as the 63 percent who never smoked. Smokers also report higher rates of chronic pain, severe work limitations due to pain and poor mental health. The authors, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, suggested that combining smoking cessation with substance abuse treatment could be crucial in addressing the opioid epidemic. Access the abstract. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39025246/ National Center for Health Statistics https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/index.htm