Building a Tobacco-free Future for Minnesotans with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Despite years of success in lowering the rate of adult tobacco use and its diminishing health consequences among the general population, this benefit has not been realized among persons with mental illness or substance use disorders. The disproportionate impact of tobacco use on these individuals’ lives is striking. Recent studies show that people with mental illness or substance use disorders (SUD) are more than twice as likely to smoke cigarettes as adults without these conditions, are more dependent on tobacco, smoke more heavily and are actually more likely to die from tobacco-related illness than from the result of their mental health or substance use conditions. 75% of adults with serious mental illness and/or substance use disorders want to quit smoking, but only 40% of Minnesota’s mental health treatment facilities and 31% of substance use disorder treatment programs offer tobacco treatment. Tobacco Treatment Improves Mental Health and SUD Outcomes
Contrary to long-held beliefs, treating tobacco dependence not only helps improve overall health but mental health as well. People with SUDs who are treated for tobacco in addition to other addictive substances have a 25% greater chance of long-term abstinence than those who do not receive tobacco cessation services. Evidence suggests the beneficial effect of stopping smoking on symptoms of anxiety and depression can equal that of taking antidepressants. By Annie Krapek, MPH Program Manager, Twin Cities Medical Society
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March/April 2020
Working Together to Reduce Tobacco Use Among People with Behavioral Health Conditions
Twin Cities Medical Society is proud to be an active part of The Lung Mind Alliance, a statewide coalition that is working to reduce disparities related to the impact of commercial tobacco on people with mental illness and/or substance use disorders.
At least 13 states require mental health and substance abuse disorders treatment facilities to provide tobacco treatment services to their clients.
The coalition is working to close this gap by increasing the number of mental health and substance use disorder programs that offer tobacco treatment and that have tobacco-free grounds using the following tactics: • changing social norms around tobacco use by those with mental illness or SUDs, • creating free educational resources for health facilities serving this population, • working to increase reimbursement for facilities that provide tobacco treatment, • and building a coalition to integrate tobacco treatment and tobacco-free environments in all Minnesota mental
health and substance use treatment settings. The Lung Mind Alliance includes partners from mental health, substance use treatment, and public health organizations, as well as the Minnesota Department of Health and the Department of Human Services. What Can You Do?
Successfully reducing tobacco-related disparities for people with mental illness or SUD will take a team effort. • Challenge myths Many people believe that people with mental illness and SUD do not want to or cannot stop smoking. These beliefs are not true, and you can help by educating your peers about the importance of tobacco treatment for people with mental illness and SUD. • Provide tobacco treatment People with mental illness and SUD may need more intensive support and a longer period of treatment in order to successfully quit tobacco. Providing individual or group counseling along with smoking cessation medications greatly improves the chances that a person will be successful in their quit attempt. • Engage your colleagues Talk with your colleagues about how your workplace can better provide tobacco treatment services and create tobacco-free environments across all settings. By working together, we can help individuals reach their recovery and wellness goals and add years to their lives.
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The Journal of the Twin Cities Medical Society
