Smoking and recovery

~ Jason Schwartz

PeaPod just posted on one of my pet causes–smoking among recovering people.

The situation is very similar in the U.S. and we are trying hard to address this within Dawn Farm for a few key reasons:

  • In Michigan, 23% of the population smokes while 85% of our clients smoke.
  • Addicts and alcoholics have a harder time quitting than other smokers.
  • Addicts and alcoholics experience greater physical harm from smoking than other smokers.
  • Quitting smoking at the initiation of recovery is associated with improved treatment outcomes. Quitting smoking is good for recovery.
  • 15% of nonsmokers who enter programs that allow smoking become smokers by the time they leave treatment.   
One of our handouts is available here.

A slidecast is available here.

Published by Jason Schwartz

I have been an addiction professional and social worker since 1994. I started blogging in 2005 as the Clinical Director at Dawn Farm. I no longer work at Dawn Farm and am now the Director of Behavioral Medicine at a community hospital, and a lecturer at Eastern Michigan University’s School of Social Work. Views expressed here are my own. Keep in mind that the field, the contexts in which the field operates, and my views have changed over time.

One thought on “Smoking and recovery”

  1. That statistic on non-smokers becoming smokers in treatment beggars belief. Not a good outcome.I'm sorry to say that there was little interest in that particular blog of mine, which I suppose reflects the challenges.

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