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Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL on 26 September, 2024
Trauma-Related News Can Trigger Nicotine and Cannabis Cravings, Scientists Warn
Jerusalem, 1 June, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Simply being reminded of a traumatic news event can trigger a rapid increase in tobacco and cannabis cravings among regular users, according to new research from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The study found that exposure to news-style reminders of the attack increased cravings for both cannabis and nicotine, even though participants were not directly experiencing a stressful event. The findings suggest that substance cravings may function as an automatic psychological defense against thoughts of death and vulnerability.
“Our findings highlight how addictive behaviors are often deeply intertwined with our basic need for psychological survival,” said Dr. Uri Lifshin, one of the study’s authors.
The research suggests that the effect is not merely a response to stress or anxiety, but a rapid, unconscious attempt to push away thoughts about death and vulnerability.
“When people are reminded of a collective existential threat, the immediate urge to smoke isn’t simply a physical habit. It is a rapid defensive response designed to push thoughts of mortality out of conscious awareness,” Lifshin said.
To test this hypothesis, the researchers conducted two experiments examining cannabis and tobacco users.
In the first, moderate to high-risk cannabis users read an article describing the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, accompanied by recognizable images from the event. A control group read an article about dental pain. Participants exposed to the October 7 material reported significantly stronger cannabis cravings than those in the control group.
The same pattern emerged in a second experiment involving daily tobacco smokers, in which reminders of the attack produced a measurable increase in nicotine cravings.
The study also uncovered a second unexpected finding. Traditional psychological buffers associated with resilience—including self-esteem, attachment security, national identity, and self-affirmation exercises—did not reduce the spike in cravings.
This suggests the response may occur automatically, before such coping mechanisms come into play, the scientists said.
Researchers found that people with high attachment anxiety reported stronger overall cravings than other participants. However, attachment anxiety did not explain the effect of trauma reminders themselves.
As societies worldwide grapple with war, terrorism, political polarization, and social uncertainty, reminders of traumatic events frequently appear in news coverage and social media. According to the researchers, understanding how these reminders influence addictive behavior could help shape future addiction treatment and mental health interventions, particularly in communities repeatedly exposed to collective trauma.
The researchers suggest clinicians consider exposure to trauma-related news as a potential relapse trigger for tobacco and cannabis users, particularly in regions experiencing repeated collective trauma.
The study was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Health Psychology.
