|
DD-
You’re right, there IS a synergistic effect when using alcohol/tobacco together. This particular seminar did not cover that actual statistic.
Note: This is NOT hard statistical fact. But this is what I tell my patients to get it across to them:
Hypothetically, lets say your only a smoker/dipper that it causes a 2x more likely chance of getting cancer. Now, Lets say if you were just a heavy drinker that your chances were 2x more likely to get cancer.
If you smoke and drink, your chances of cancer are not the 4x increase you would think, they are closer to 10-12x more likely to get cancer when used together.
That 10-12X verses double the sum is actually the statistic that my oral pathology professor taught me back in school. I don't know its true scientific accuracy, but I have seen similar numbers in other lectures/seminars.
As to the % of users that drink... I don't have that info, sorry. I agree with your logic on the similarities in Dx the lung ailments.
|