Cigarette smoke exposure greatly increases alcohol consumption in adolescent C57BL/6 mice.

Background: Alcohol and tobacco are often used together, and alcoholism is much more common among smokers compared with nonsmokers. Studies in humans suggest that nicotine (an active ingredient in cigarette smoke) can increase the consumption of alcohol. Research on rats and mice demonstrated mixed results; some studies report that nicotine increases alcohol consumption, while others show a decrease in drinking.