Feasibility of a Smoking Cessation Intervention in Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

Feasibility of a Smoking Cessation Intervention in Substance Abuse Treatment Programs
January 2008

Research Summary and Comments

Many patients in treatment for substance use disorders smoke. However, treatment for nicotine dependence in substance abuse treatment settings is uncommon.

Researchers in this study evaluated the feasibility of implementing a smoking cessation intervention in substance abuse treatment programs. They surveyed the program directors, research directors, and 1,442 patients from 13 different sites.

Smoking prevalence was 76%. It was higher at sites that provided methadone (87% versus 66% at sites without methadone) and at sites located in a setting with medical services (85% versus 63% at sites without medical services).
Most (78%) smokers were interested in quitting, and 64% were willing to enroll in smoking cessation treatment. Interest in quitting and willingness to enroll in smoking cessation treatment were both more common at the sites that provided methadone (e.g., 77% versus 48% willing to enroll) and at sites located in a setting with medical services (e.g., 73% versus 45% willing to enroll).
Obstacles to performing a smoking cessation intervention identified by the sites included the time commitment by staff, and scheduling conflicts and low motivation among patients.

Comments by Tom Delaney, MSW, MPA:
These findings are useful for alcohol and drug counselors looking to implement smoking cessation efforts in different treatment settings. Such counselors should be encouraged by the high proportion of patients who want to quit smoking and should be mindful of and address the potential obstacles identified in this study as they design cessation interventions.

Comments by Julia H. Arnsten, MD, MPH, Associate Editor of Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health: Current Evidence:
Smoking is highly prevalent among patients in substance abuse treatment. Although barriers to implementing smoking cessation interventions may exist, these patients, particularly those receiving methadone, are very interested in quitting smoking. Methadone maintenance programs may offer a unique means of integrating nicotine dependence treatment with substance abuse treatment.

Reference:
Reid MS, Fallon B, Sonne S, et al. Implementation of a smoking cessation treatment study at substance abuse rehabilitation programs: smoking behavior and treatment feasibility across varied community-based outpatient programs. J Addict Med. 2007;1(3):154–160.

This summary and the physician's comments were adapted/reproduced from text previously published in Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health: Current Evidence.