Adding a choice-based program for tobacco smoking to an abstinence-based addiction treatment program

Area of Science:

• Addiction Medicine
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Chemical dependency (CD) treatment centers often focus solely on substance abuse, neglecting co-occurring smoking behaviors.
• Integrating smoking cessation into addiction treatment can improve overall recovery outcomes.
• An optional, choice-based approach may increase participation and reduce resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a mixed-model smoking cessation program within an abstinence-based addiction treatment setting.
• To assess client and staff attitudes towards the integrated, optional smoking program.
• To measure program utilization and abstinence rates among participants.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of a smoking awareness and optional cessation program for chemical dependency (CD) clients and staff.
• Collection of attitude and program utilization data.
• Follow-up assessment of CD clients who opted for smoking cessation.

Main Results:

• Both staff and CD clients strongly endorsed the value of the optional smoking program within the addiction treatment framework.
• High participation rates were observed: 55.6% of smoking staff and 38.0% of smoking CD clients engaged with the program.
• Among CD clients who chose cessation, 17.5% achieved abstinence at follow-up.

Conclusions:

• An optional, choice-based smoking cessation program is a valuable addition to abstinence-based addiction treatment.
• This integrated model is well-received by both clients and staff, fostering a supportive environment.
• The program shows promise in promoting smoking cessation among individuals undergoing treatment for chemical dependency.