Health Effects Of Tobacco Use Research Articles

Social, Psychological, Demographic, and Trauma-Related Factors Associated with Daily Tobacco Use Among Emerging Adults

ABSTRACT Background Tobacco use continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Rates of tobacco use among college students remain steady with one in ten using some form of tobacco. Specific social and demographic correlates to use are needed to effectively address continued use. Purpose The purpose of the present study was to examine specific factors associated with daily tobacco use among college students. Methods The National College Health Assessment was disseminated in classrooms to students at one urban, Midwestern university. Results Results indicated 8.4% of college students used some form of tobacco daily. The final model found gender and marijuana use predicted daily tobacco use. Discussion Based on the prevalence rates found in the present study, it is evident that public health professionals are growing concerned regarding the significant adverse health effects of tobacco use. Translation to Health Education Practice Health education programs targeting college students engaged in risky behaviors could help reduce tobacco use on college campuses. Health education interventions that address smoking cessation, alcohol, and drug abuse, and mental health support could effectively reduce daily tobacco use on college campuses.

Modeling Idiographic Longitudinal Relationships between Affect and Cigarette Use: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

Background: Despite public knowledge of the adverse health effects of tobacco use, cigarettes remain widely used due to the addictive nature of nicotine. Physiologic adaptation to the presence of nicotine over time leads to unpleasant effects during withdrawal periods. Alongside these physiological effects, tobacco users often report changes in their consumption of tobacco in response to their emotional state. Objectives: We hypothesized that idiographic, or person-specific level, increases in participants’ negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) ratings at a given time point would be associated with higher and lower craving and smoking over the following several hours, respectively. Fifty-two participants completed block randomized ecological momentary assessment surveys on their smartphones 4 times per day for 30 days, reporting from 0-100 their level of seven discrete emotions, stress, current craving, and smoking behavior. We analyzed the relationships between affect and smoking and craving using idiographic generalized linear models. Results: While some participants exhibited the hypothesized relationships, each participant varied in the strength and direction of the relationships between affect and craving/smoking. These outcomes were partially moderated at the group level by anxiety/depression at baseline, but not by level of nicotine dependence or sex. Conclusions: This suggests that the factors driving cigarette use vary significantly between individuals.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Tobacco Use among Latinx Parents in the USA.

The current study aimed to understand the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and cultural factors on Latinx parents' tobacco use. Tobacco use is the leading cause of death among Latinx individuals in the USA, and parental use has long-term secondary harm for children. Thus, it is important to examine cultural protective factors that could prevent Latinx parents and children from the negative health effects of tobacco use. Data came from 2813 18- to 50-year-old Latinx respondents who participated in the Wave 3 of the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. They reported having children living in their household and had complete data for the variables of interest. In this sample (mean age = 33.5years, 53.7% female), 16.4% (95%CI = 14.7%, 18.4%) and 7.4% (95%CI = 6.4%, 8.6%) were current and former smokers, respectively. The multivariate multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that experiencing more ACEs categories was associated with increased likelihood of current and former tobacco use compared to never use. Past year discrimination experiences and being US born (2nd and 3rd-generation parents) also increased the likelihood of current use. Differences in risk of current and former tobacco use were found based on respondents' country of origin, with protection against tobacco use found for most countries compared to being from Puerto Rico. Stronger ethnic-racial identity was not protective against tobacco use. Findings show the importance of considering ACEs and cultural factors when designing and implementing tobacco cessation programs for Latinx parents and increasing awareness of the impact of parents' tobacco use on their children.

Frequency, Knowledge, Attitude and Intent to Stop Cigarette Smoking among Nursing Students

Background: Cigarette smoking is a foremost health-related problem worldwide that can lead to morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of cigarette smoking and cessation intentions vary from one country to another. However, smoking cessation is the single most effective preventive strategy for enhancing health and extending life. Objective: (a) To determine the frequency of cigarette smoking; (b) To assess the knowledge, attitude of cigarette smoking and intent to stop it (c) To identify the association of cigarette smoking with demographic variables. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in two private nursing colleges in Karachi, from January to June 2019. The study included both male and female Nursing students. The non-probability convenience sampling technique was used to approach the participants. The chi-square test was applied to determine the significant association between cigarette smoking and demographic variables such as age, gender, marital status, and language. p-value ≤0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: Out of 150 study participants, the smoking frequency was 16 (10.7%). Eighty-eight (58.7%) of the study participants had a fair knowledge of cigarette smoking in this study. About one-fifth of (18.7%) participants intended to quit smoking. Almost one-fourth (24%) of the study participants verbalized that their friends are smokers, while 15.3% of participants’ parents were smokers. Conclusion: It is concluded that nursing students had some knowledge about adverse health effects of tobacco use, and few participants intended to stop smoking. It is recommended that nursing institutions organize smoking cessation sessions periodically to avoid from detrimental effects of smoking.

Economic cost of cigarette smoking in Bosnia and Herzegovina

BackgroundCigarette use is one of the major risk factors for non-communicable diseases in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 41.1% of adults being current smokers in 2019 and almost half of current...

Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of tobacco control legislation for protecting people from tobacco smoke exposure and health consequences of tobacco use. Methodical guidelines

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Multivariate Analysis of the Predicted Probability of Smoking Behavior of Foster Care Minors: Results of a Study from Romania.

Background: There are a multitude of factors that influence smoking status, and minors from the social protection system are a vulnerable category in terms of smoking. Methods: The objective of this research was to assess the degree of smoking dependence and to identify potential predictors of smoking status in foster care teenagers. Smoker status was confirmed by dosing CO in the exhaled air, and the degree of dependence was assessed using the Fagerström score. We performed a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: From the 275 foster care minors, 22.5% were current smokers. Exhaled CO was not influenced by general demographic factors, was associated with the frequency of smoking, and was positively correlated with the estimated number of cigarettes consumed daily and with the Fagerström score. The calculated probability of being a smoker was less than 20.4% in 75% of nonsmokers, whereas 75% of actual smokers had a predicted probability higher than 30.3%. Conclusions: In addition to age, gender, social environment, previous exposure to secondhand smoking, and residential type of foster care system, the expressed opinions regarding the health effects of tobacco use were associated with smoking in foster care teenagers.

Tobacco Use and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence Among People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: A Practical Guide for Clinicians.

More than 40% of people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) in the United States smoke tobacco cigarettes. Among those on antiretroviral therapy, smoking decreases life expectancy more than human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) itself. Most PWH who smoke want to quit, but tobacco dependence treatment has not been widely integrated into HIV care. This article summarizes the epidemiology of tobacco use among PWH, health consequences of tobacco use and benefits of cessation in PWH, and studies of treatment for tobacco dependence among the general population and among PWH. We provide practical guidance for providers to treat tobacco dependence among PWH. A 3-step Ask-Advise-Connect framework includes asking about tobacco use routinely during clinical encounters, advising about tobacco cessation with emphasis on the benefits of cessation, and actively connecting patients to cessation treatments, including prescription of pharmacotherapy (preferably varenicline) and direct connection to behavioral interventions via telephone quitline or other means to increase the likelihood of a successful quit attempt.

\u201cThe Real Cost\u201d Smokeless campaign: changes in beliefs about smokeless tobacco among rural boys, a longitudinal randomized controlled field trial

BackgroundThe prevalence of current smokeless tobacco (SLT) use in 2019 among high school students was 4.8%, and the overall rate of SLT use was higher among high school boys (7.5%) than girls (1.8%). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched “The Real Cost” Smokeless media campaign in April 2016 to educate rural youth about the dangers of SLT use. In this study, we evaluate the effectiveness of “The Real Cost” Smokeless campaign.MethodsWe use a 3-year (Jan 2016 – Dec 2018) randomized controlled longitudinal field trial that consists of a baseline survey of boys and a parent/guardian and four follow-up surveys of the boys. The cohort includes 2200 boys who were 11 to 16 years old at baseline and lived in the rural segments of 30 media markets (15 treatment markets and 15 control). “The Real Cost” Smokeless campaign targets boys who are 12 to 17 years old in 35 media markets. It focuses primarily on graphic depictions of cosmetic and long-term health consequences of SLT use. The key outcome measures include beliefs and attitudes toward SLT that are targeted (explicitly or implicitly) by campaign messages.ResultsUsing multivariate difference-in-difference analysis (conducted in 2019 and 2020), we found that agreement with 4 of the 11 explicit campaign-targeted belief and attitude measures increased significantly from baseline to post-campaign launch among boys 14 to 16 years old in treatment vs. control markets. Agreement did not increase for boys 11–13 years old in treatment vs. control markets and only increased for one targeted message for the overall sample.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that “The Real Cost” Smokeless campaign influenced beliefs and attitudes among older boys in campaign markets and that a campaign focused on health consequences of tobacco use can be targeted to rural boys, influence beliefs about SLT use, and potentially prevent SLT use.

C.E. Credit. Tobacco Cessation in Dental Settings: A Team-Based Approach

Tobacco use causes harm to the entire body and is a major risk factor for oral conditions such as periodontal disease, tooth loss, implant failure and oral cancer. Given the negative oral health effects of tobacco use, the dental practice is an ideal setting for implementing brief tobacco treatment interventions and education. This article provides accessible, practical recommendations on tobacco cessation strategies for dental professionals, including all members of the practice team. Emphasized is the importance of assessing a patient’s readiness to quit and choosing appropriate interventions that meet the individual needs of the patient and practice.

Abstract 2608: Lung cancer prevention and an early detection educational intervention in minority and underserved communities

Abstract Purpose: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in African Americans (AAs). The 5-year relative survival rate for localized lung cancer among AAs is 52%; however, only 16% of lung cancer cases are detected at this early stage. Even when lung cancer is diagnosed early, AAs are less likely than whites to receive life-saving surgery. Procedures: An educational intervention was delivered in 16 sites across the CSRA: 12 AA churches, three Federally-Qualified Health Centers, and one Community Center serving low-income and minority families. Community Health Workers at each site were selected and trained to deliver the educational content in four (4) 90-minute weekly sessions to participants in their congregation/facility. Content included cancer risk factors, the health consequences of tobacco use, tobacco cessation for current smokers, and the benefits of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer. Pre- and post-intervention “site surveys” were administered to individuals who were members/visitors of the intervention sites (i.e. members of the church, patients at the FQHC, and visitors of the Community Center) to assess community changes in knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding lung cancer following the intervention. This report is on the surveys completed anonymously by the people at the sites, not on those enrolled in the study. Results: Data were collected from 2136 participants (n=1404 baseline and 732 follow-up). Baseline and follow-up surveys were independent observations. Approximately 70.1% of respondents were female, 29.9% male, and 91.9% AA. There was significant improvement in the self-reported frequency of exercise among respondents, with 41.5% reporting 2-3 days of exercise at follow-up compared to 34.2% at baseline (p=0.006). Other significant findings include: current smoking status decreased from 13.5% at baseline to 8.0% at follow-up (p=0.001); knowledge of the recommended screening test for lung cancer increased from 35.2% at baseline to 43.4% at follow-up (p=0.002); men who have had a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test within the last year increased from 54.4% at baseline to 72.2% at follow-up (p=0.006); and women answering whether they had ever had a mammogram increased from 78.0% at baseline to 86.6% at follow-up (p<0.001). Conclusion: AAs are at greater risk for lung cancer incidence and mortality due to low access to quality healthcare, education, and prevention efforts. This project demonstrates that education and prevention efforts can be used to increase community knowledge about lung cancer and cancer risk factors, provide resources to decrease risk factors (smoking cessation) and increase access to screening for early detection. These efforts are promising for reducing cancer incidence and increasing early detection, and decreasing mortality rates among AAs who suffer disproportionate cancer health disparities. Citation Format: Samantha J. Sojourner, Marlo M. Vernon, Ghadeer Albashir, Justin X. Moore, Stephen W. Looney, Martha S. Tingen. Lung cancer prevention and an early detection educational intervention in minority and underserved communities [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2608.

Pattern of Tobacco Use and Perceived Risk of COVID-19 Following Tobacco Use among the COVID-19 Patients of a Tertiary Health Care Institution in Eastern India.

BackgroundCOVID-19 presented an unprecedented situation in which behavioural factors including tobacco use were believed to increase the risk of morbidity and mortality. The objective of the present study was to find the tobacco use pattern among the COVID-19 patients and the perceived risk of developing severe COVID-19 following tobacco use.MethodsThis hospital-based, cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted among 300 COVID-19 patients at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, India, during November and December 2020 using a semi-structured, pretested questionnaire. Descriptive and univariate analyses were performed using statistical software and the results were presented as proportion and percentage.FindingsAbout 27% and 16% of the COVID-19 patients were ever and current tobacco users, respectively. Quit attempts were found to have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. A majority (65%) of current tobacco users had reduced their amount of tobacco use. Nearly 2 in every 3 patients perceived high risk of developing severe COVID-19 following tobacco use. Perceived risk was significantly higher among tobacco non-users, patients who were aware of the ill health effects of tobacco use, and patients who had noticed anti-tobacco messages or had been advised to quit tobacco. Among the current tobacco users, a significantly higher proportion of patients who perceived high risk of developing severe COVID-19 following tobacco use had made quit attempts or had reduced tobacco consumption during the pandemic (76.7% vs. 40%; P = 0.032).ConclusionA high proportion of COVID-19 patients believed that tobacco use aggravated the COVID-19 condition. Increased quit attempts and reduction in tobacco consumption during this pandemic is a positive sign for tobacco control.

Predictors of parental knowledge of tobacco effects on health and parental perceptions on tobacco control measures at household level in selected urban residential areas of Dhaka city, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT The study aimed to investigate parental knowledge of tobacco effects on health and parental perceptions on tobacco control measures at households in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Out of 1436 tobacco-using parents, a total of 400 participants were selected for the cross-sectional survey using a multi-stage probability sampling. Overall knowledge and perceptions of parents were scored. Simple and multiple logistic regressions were performed. There were 19.8% of parents who had good knowledge about health effects of tobacco and 40.8% had positive perception on home initiatives of tobacco control measures respectively. The study revealed that knowledge of overall tobacco effects on health (AOR = 20.92, 95% CI = 2.60–167.83), asthma (AOR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.17–0.49), infertility (AOR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.24–0.77) and pre-eclampsia (AOR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.14–0.90) were significantly increased the odds of parents good knowledge. Whereas parental perceptions indicate that living in the joint family was positively associated with controlling tobacco use (AOR = 3.10, 95% CI = 1.88–5.13). It suggests that health education programs need to be developed to improve parental awareness on the adverse health effects of tobacco use at households.

Prevalence and determinants of tobacco use amongst South African adults with mental illness in the Eastern Cape.

BackgroundGiven the physical and mental health consequences of tobacco use amongst individuals with mental illness, it was imperative to assess the burden of tobacco use in this population.AimThis study examined the patterns and factors associated with tobacco use in individuals attending the outpatient unit.SettingCecilia Makiwane Hospital Mental Health Department in Eastern Cape province, South Africa.MethodsLifetime (ever use) use and current use of any tobacco products were examined in a cross-sectional study of 390 individuals between March and June 2020. A logistic regression was fitted to determine the correlates of lifetime and current use of any tobacco products.ResultsThe rates of ever use and current use of tobacco products were 59.4% and 44.6%, respectively. Of the participants interviewed, lifetime tobacco use was more prevalent amongst individuals with schizophrenia (67.9%) and cannabis-induced disorders (97.3%) and lower in those with major depressive disorders (36.1%) and bipolar and related disorders (43.5%). Men were six times more likely to have ever used or currently use tobacco products in comparison to women. Also, those who had a salaried job or owned a business were over three times more likely to have ever used or currently use tobacco products compared with those receiving government social grants.ConclusionsThe prevalence of tobacco use in this study was significantly higher than the general population in the Eastern Cape. Therefore, smoking prevention and cessation interventions targeted at the general population should target this often neglected sub-population in the region.

Prevalence and determinants of tobacco use amongst South African adults with mental illness in the Eastern Cape

Background: Given the physical and mental health consequences of tobacco use amongst individuals with mental illness, it was imperative to assess the burden of tobacco use in this population. Aim: This study examined the patterns and factors associated with tobacco use in individuals attending the outpatient unit. Setting: Cecilia Makiwane Hospital Mental Health Department in Eastern Cape province, South Africa. Methods: Lifetime (ever use) use and current use of any tobacco products were examined in a cross-sectional study of 390 individuals between March and June 2020. A logistic regression was fitted to determine the correlates of lifetime and current use of any tobacco products. Results: The rates of ever use and current use of tobacco products were 59.4% and 44.6%, respectively. Of the participants interviewed, lifetime tobacco use was more prevalent amongst individuals with schizophrenia (67.9%) and cannabis-induced disorders (97.3%) and lower in those with major depressive disorders (36.1%) and bipolar and related disorders (43.5%). Men were six times more likely to have ever used or currently use tobacco products in comparison to women. Also, those who had a salaried job or owned a business were over three times more likely to have ever used or currently use tobacco products compared with those receiving government social grants. Conclusions: The prevalence of tobacco use in this study was significantly higher than the general population in the Eastern Cape. Therefore, smoking prevention and cessation interventions targeted at the general population should target this often neglected sub-population in the region.

A comprehensive economic assessment of the health effects of tobacco use and implications for tobacco control in Bangladesh

BackgroundDespite modest progress in reducing tobacco use, tobacco remains one of the major risk factors for non-communicable diseases in Bangladesh.MethodsUsing disease-specific, prevalence-based, cost-of-illness approach, this research estimated the economic costs...

Networked collective intelligence improves dissemination of scientific information regarding smoking risks.

Despite substantial investments in public health campaigns, misunderstanding of health-related scientific information is pervasive. This is especially true in the case of tobacco use, where smokers have been found to systematically misperceive scientific information about the negative health effects of smoking, in some cases leading smokers to increase their pro-smoking bias. Here, we extend recent work on ‘networked collective intelligence’ by testing the hypothesis that allowing smokers and nonsmokers to collaboratively evaluate anti-smoking advertisements in online social networks can improve their ability to accurately assess the negative health effects of tobacco use. Using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, we conducted an online experiment where smokers and nonsmokers (N = 1600) were exposed to anti-smoking advertisements and asked to estimate the negative health effects of tobacco use, either on their own or in the presence of peer influence in a social network. Contrary to popular predictions, we find that both smokers and nonsmokers were surprisingly inaccurate at interpreting anti-smoking messages, and their errors persisted if they continued to interpret these messages on their own. However, smokers and nonsmokers significantly improved in their ability to accurately interpret anti-smoking messages by sharing their opinions in structured online social networks. Specifically, subjects in social networks reduced the error of their risk estimates by over 10 times more than subjects who revised solely based on individual reflection (p < 0.001, 10 experimental trials in total). These results suggest that social media networks may be used to activate social learning that improves the public’s ability to accurately interpret vital public health information.

Health Promotion for Tobacco Control

Tobacco consumption is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and has been correlated with negative health consequences. Tobacco use also burdens the global economy This paper is an overview of health promotions for tobacco control in the Louisiana. This paper is not intended to provide an exhaustive literature review but to highlight health on the basis for discussing future research directions. An increase in health promotion efforts about the detrimental health effects of tobacco use may result in higher levels of knowledge about the negative effects of smoking. Awareness of populations through health promotion strategies is a primary tool for tobacco prevention and cessation. An education of the public is an important part of the efforts to prevent the initiation of smoking use and encourage smoking cessation. Keywords : Health promotion, tobacco, tobacco control DOI : 10.7176/PPAR/10-1-07 Publication date: January 31 st 2020

Perceived Effectiveness of Pictorial Health Warning Labels of Tobacco Products and Associated Factors among Smokers and Quitters in Kaski District, Nepal

Introduction: Globally, tobacco kills more than seven million people per year. In Nepal, more than fifty different types of tobacco products, both in smoke and smokeless forms, are available. Pictorial health warning labels (PHWLs) on tobacco products provide an effective way to aware both literates and illiterates about the health effects of tobacco use. This study aimed to assess the perceived effectiveness of pictorial health warning labels of tobacco products and associated factors among smokers and quitters.&#x0D; Methods: The study design was community-based cross-sectional analytical with the quantitative method. We interviewed 389 adults (111 Quitters and 278 Smokers) of Kaski district. The sample was taken from both rural and urban areas based on existing household proportion. Ethical approval was taken from NHRC. We entered data in EpiData and analyzed in SPSS softwares. The perceived effectiveness scores of PHWLs were calculated (alpha ranges from 0.91 to 0.96) and compared among different groups using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Kruskal-Wallis test with the Dunn’s multiple comparisons. The perceived effectiveness score of PHWLs were correlated with discrete covariates using Spearman rank correlation.&#x0D; Results: Nearly one-third of the participants (32.7%) had bought a single piece of tobacco product, which is not allowed in Nepal. Nearly sixteen percentage of the participants were moderate to high level of nicotine dependent. Only twelve percent of participants wanted to quit or already quitted as s/he saw the PHWLs. Scores of Premature birth was statistically significant (p=0.031) on smoking status. Martial status, ethnicity, any family member use tobacco, age at first exposure psychological response, behavioral response and message credibility were statistically significant for the perceived effectiveness of PHWLs among smokers. Whereas place of resident, education status, age, psychological response, behavioral response, self efficacy and message credibility were statistically significant at p&lt;0.05 for the perceived effectiveness of PHWLs among quitters.&#x0D; Conclusions: This study concluded that premature type of PHWL was more effective than other type of PHWLs. The interventional program along with social and behavior change communication should be focused on the psychological, behavioral related and geographical setting. Further research is suggested to carryout the interventional study addressing behavioral and psychological factors.

P109. Tobacco use is associated with worse patient-reported outcomes following elective cervical spine surgery

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Tobacco use has been shown to be a major modifiable risk factor for the development of postoperative complications in elective orthopedic surgeries. Numerous studies have described the adverse health effects of tobacco use and the associations between tobacco use and poor surgical outcomes, as well as increased post-operative health care utilization. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of preoperative tobacco use on (1) pre- and postoperative patient-reported outcomes, (2) complications, and (3) pre- and postoperative opioid consumption in patients undergoing elective cervical spine surgery. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Retrospective chart review. PATIENT SAMPLE A total of 179 consecutive patients who underwent elective cervical spine surgery at a single academic institution from 2014-2016 with 2-year follow up data. OUTCOME MEASURES Perioperative variables, pre- and postoperative, opiod consumption, Neck Disabiity Index (NDI) score, VAS (visual analog scale) pain scores and Distressed Communities Index (DCI) METHODS Patient tobacco use, baseline characteristics, medical comorbidities, operative variables, and surgical complications (superficial and deep infection, wound complication, emergency department [ED] visits, readmissions, and repeat operations) were recorded. Additionally, preoperative ED visits, pre- and postoperative opioid use, total postoperative opioid prescription quantities, and most recent date of opioid prescription were collected. Quantitative measurements of pain (VAS) and disease specific disability score (NDI) were recorded preoperatively and 3 months after surgery. In addition, the Economic Innovation Group's 2017 Distressed Communities Index (DCI) was recorded for each patient's home zip code. DCI Scores are based on percentages of adults without a high school education, percentage living under the poverty line, unemployment rates, and the overall housing and business climate in a given area. DCI Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicative of greater economic distress, and DCI Scores ≥80 are considered to be highly distressed regions. Continuous variables were compared between patients that did vs did not use tobacco using two-tailed independent t-test, and categorical variables were compared using chi-square or Fisher Exact tests. RESULTS Of the 179 patients involved in this study, 98 (54.7%) were current tobacco users. Compared to non-users, current tobacco users were more likely to have COPD (p=0.001), illicit drug abuse (p=0.002), and worse distressed community index scores (p=0.02). Tobacco users had less pain relief than non-smokers at 3 months postoperatively (4.9±2.7 vs. 2.7±2.3, respectively), as they experienced significantly less improvement in VAS pain score (p 0.05). There were no other between-group differences. CONCLUSIONS Tobacco users undergoing elective cervical spine surgery may experience significantly worse pain during the early postoperative period compared to non-smokers. Tobacco use may represent a modifiable risk factor for persistent pain in this population. Surgeons should counsel patients about reducing tobacco use before cervical spine surgery, and socioeconomic status should be considered when developing patient education materials and smoking cessation programs for this at risk subset. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs.