Urgency Predicts Differences in Cigarette Consumption
Abstract
Smokers have been classified into three separate groups based on cigarette consumption
where regular smokers consume more than 5 cigarettes a day, chippers consume 5 cigarettes a
day or less, and social smokers only smoke when they drink alcohol. The current study examined
smoking group differences by self-regulation, alcohol use, and alcohol-related problems.
Participants (n = 535) completed an online survey. A 3-step multinomial logistic regression was
used to analyze the data. When compared to regular smokers, chippers exhibited lower negative
urgency (RRR = 0.94, p = .035). Social smokers consumed more alcohol (RRR = 2.37, p <
.001), and exhibited lower negative urgency (RRR = 0.93, p = .004) than regular smokers.
Compared to chippers, social smokers consumed more alcohol (RRR = 1.71, p = .001). These
findings suggest there are notable differences between smoking classes. The results highlight the
importance of examining different classes of smokers.