Does current versus former smoking play a role in the relationship between anxiety and mood disorders and nicotine dependence?

Abstract Objective Research suggests an association between nicotine dependence and anxiety/mood disorders. Yet, less is known about the role of current versus former smoking in the association between nicotine dependence and these psychiatric disorders. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relations between anxiety/mood disorders and 1) nicotine dependence and 2) current versus former smoking. Method Data were drawn from the 2001–2002 National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions, a nationally representative sample of over 43,000 adults in the United States. Analyses examined whether dependent versus non-dependent smoking and current versus former smoking were associated with anxiety/mood disorders. Results Current dependent, but not non-dependent, smoking was associated with significantly increased odds of anxiety/mood disorders. There was no association between anxiety/mood disorders and former dependent smoking, compared with never smoking. However, compared with never smoking, former non-dependent smoking was associated with significantly decreased odds of current anxiety/mood disorders. Conclusions Current dependent smoking was positively associated with current anxiety/mood disorders, and former non-dependent smoking was negatively associated with current anxiety/mood disorders. The present research is important for understanding the relation between nicotine dependence and anxiety/mood disorders, and why it may be difficult for people with these disorders to quit smoking. The results from this study indicate that greater clinical attention could be directed toward the role of anxiety/mood disorders in smoking cessation.