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Pain Linked to Increased Odds of Cigarette, Cannabis Use in Cancer Survivors

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Feb 10, 2025.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Feb. 10, 2025 -- Among cancer survivors, pain is associated with an increased likelihood of cigarette smoking and cannabis use, according to a study published online Feb. 10 in Cancer.

Jessica M. Powers, Ph.D., from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, and colleagues used two national datasets to examine pain and nonopioid substance use among cancer survivors. Study 1 included 1,252 adults from Wave 6 (2021) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, and study 2 included 4,130 adults from the 2020 National Health Interview Survey with lifetime cancer diagnosis.

The researchers found that in study 1, past-week pain intensity was associated with an increased likelihood of using cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and cannabis and with a lower likelihood of alcohol use. In study 2, chronic pain was associated with an increased likelihood of cigarette use and lower likelihood of alcohol use compared with no chronic pain. Cigarette smoking and pain were associated with fatigue, sleep difficulties, poorer mental/physical health, and lower health-related quality of life in both studies.

"These findings emphasize the need to assess both pain and nonopioid substance use among cancer survivors, develop interventions that simultaneously address both concerns, and improve policies for pain management among this vulnerable population," the authors write.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted February 2025

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