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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2011, 13, 1 (pages: 5 - 10)

Tobacco smoking prevalence in a large sample of heroin users accessing rehabilitation

Pajusco B., Boschini A., Chiamulera C., Begnini M., Smacchia C., Lugoboni F.

Summary: Although there is a large amount of anecdotal evidence about the association between heroin abuse and tobacco smoking, there have been only a few epidemiological studies. The present report is a cross-sectional survey on tobacco smoking in heroin users. The sample included 10,530 drug users accessing the Comunità di San Patrignano during the time period 1st January 1980 to 1st May 2007. Heroin-addicted subjects (n = 10,181) were not receiving any type of substitution or detoxification therapy. Tobacco smoking prevalence in the heroin-addicted group was 99.2% (10,095 out of 10,181 subjects). In the large sample of heroin users observed in the present study, this confirms the anecdotal report that most heroin users are smokers.