An Overview of Nicotine Use Disorders for Alcohol/Drug Abuse Clinicians

Alcohol and drug abuse clinicians often fail to intervene in nicotine dependence because of unfounded beliefs or inadequate knowledge of the topic. This overview 1) describes the epidemiology, initiating factors, consequences, pharmacology, behavioral effects, and dependence syndrome associated with nicotine use; 2) describes how nicotine use and withdrawal interfere with the diagnosis and treatment of other drug dependencies; and 3) provides a simple, concrete algorithm for treating nicotine dependence. (American Journal on Addictions 1996; 5:262–274)