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Abstract
In this study the relation between parental alcoholism and tobacco use and nicotine dependence in adult children is explored. Data were used from the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS), a nationwide survey of the US population aged 15 to 54. A sample of 2,728 subjects was selected who could answer all relevant questions about either their father or mother. Regular tobacco use and nicotine dependence are found to be strongly related to having an alcoholic parent. Among subjects who used tobacco regularly at some time, adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) had a higher risk of developing nicotine dependence (attributable risk: 13.3%), and ACOAs had started regular nicotine use earlier (mean age 18.22 years in ACOAs versus 16.60 in non-ACOAs). The relation between parental alcholism and nicotine dependence in ACOAs can be related to a genetic predisposition or to environmental factors.