Sober You Says Ditch Tobacco!

Imagine it’s your Saturday night off duty (let’s go!). You get to the bar and are feeling buzzed when your buddy offers you a cigarette or hit of JUUL. Drunk you thinks, “It’s just one – what’s the big deal?” Meanwhile, alarms are sounding in sober you. But why? Let’s break this down…

Social smoking – smoking occasionally, usually in groups and often while drinking – still makes you a smoker. Smoking even just one puff can cause a nicotine addiction. Mic drop. But where does alcohol come in? Good question!

Short Term Reasons You’ll Regret Mixing Alcohol and Tobacco

• Using tobacco and drinking together might make you drink more than you planned. It’s because drinking alcohol (a depressant) with a side of nicotine (a stimulant found in tobacco products like cigarettes or JUULs) may make it hard to realize how drunk you are. Put down the tobacco so that you stay within your limit.
• Smoking and drinking a lot together may make your hangover even worse (as if the typical hangover wasn’t bad enough!). Cut back on the cigs while drinking to avoid the awful next day vibes.
• Research shows that combining cigarettes and alcohol can increase how attractive you find others. If sober you didn’t plan on liking pics from six months ago, make sure drunk you doesn’t double tap either.

Long Term Reasons You’ll Regret Mixing Alcohol and Tobacco

• Smoking and drinking alcohol at the same time slows down how fast your body breaks down both alcohol and nicotine. The longer the toxins stay in your bloodstream, the higher the risk of developing cancer. Avoid the risk by quitting tobacco. (And yes, even if you only smoke occasionally, it helps to follow the quit process.)
• When you smoke while drinking, cigarette chemicals may dissolve when they’re still in your throat. This can increase the risk of throat and esophageal cancer. Next time you think about taking a puff on a Saturday night out, imagine what future you would say about it.
• Drinking while smoking increases health and social risks. No matter how vividly (or not) you remember smoking on your night out, your body is keeping track. Next time you’re out, try one of these ways to say no to tobacco.