It was released on 10 October 1994 by Creation Records as the fourth and final single from their debut album, Definitely Maybe (1994), and their second to enter the UK top ten in the United Kingdom, peaking at number seven, eventually spending 79 weeks on the charts.

The song proclaims the inherent appeal of cigarettes, alcohol, and other drugs as a remedy to the banality and seemingly futile nature of working-class life.

Alan McGee, who discovered the band, boisterously claimed upon first hearing the song that it was "one of the greatest social statements of the past 25 years".

Leesa Daniels from Smash Hits gave "Cigarettes & Alcohol" five out of five and named it Best New Single, writing that "it's a monster of a track: with cock-sure vocals over heavy guitars and drums.

[4] The CD release of the "Cigarettes & Alcohol" single includes three B-sides: a cover version of The Beatles' "I Am the Walrus"; "Listen Up", a six-minute slow rocker musically similar to "Supersonic"; and the popular, slightly punk-styled "Fade Away", whose wistful lyrics are about the destruction of "the dreams we have as children" (this phrase was later used as the title of Noel Gallagher's first live solo album).

The band actually did perform the song at the Cathouse in June 1994 during their Definitely Maybe Tour and had a recording of it, "which sounded quite similar but it was fucking rubbish", according to Noel.