New York Alcohol and Substance Abuse Service officials recently announced a new rule that will require all New York treatment centers to help its patients quit smoking. The plan, which is slated to take effect next year, will require treatment centers to help patients quit smoking by offering nicotine replacement therapy, including nicotine gum and patches, to all smokers. For those lacking health insurance, the nicotine replacement therapy will be free of charge.

The treatment centers also will be required to be smoke-free. Officials estimate the new law will impact 110,000 patients on any given day. Approximately 92 percent of those in alcohol and other drug treatment programs are cigarette smokers, according to official estimates. 

As someone who dedicates my life to advocating for treatment for those struggling with addiction and as someone who is personally addicted to cigarettes, I have mixed feelings about the new rule. I applaud the effort to help people quit smoking, but am worried that the second piece, the smoking ban may deter some smokers who are hoping to quit other addictions from seeking help.

Helping smokers kick the habit will save lives and should be applauded. More than 400,000 people die prematurely from cigarettes - more than all other legal and illegal drugs combined. It is important that public health officials and treatment providers acknowledge that cigarettes - a legal drug - can cause as many health problems as the more demonized illicit drugs. Having a proactive strategy to help people quit is a positive initiative that should be supported. By offering free treatment we will surely help some people quit and pro-long many people's lives.

The second piece of the new law is more problematic. Prohibiting smoking at the treatment centers may sound like a worthwhile public health objective, but it is clear that this policy will discourage some people from seeking treatment. Some people may be seeking treatment for drugs like alcohol, heroin or cocaine, but they may not be ready to quit smoking.

Do we really want to set up barriers and conditions for people that keep them away from seeking treatment if they are unable or unwilling to quit cigarettes? Not everyone can or wants to abstain from all drugs all at once. If someone wants to quit heroin, but is not ready to quit cigarettes, we should not discourage them from getting help because of a rule that prohibits them from smoking.

Much of the campaign to help people quit cigarettes is groundbreaking and life-saving. It is smart, cost-effective and humane to offer people free assistance and tools for quitting the harmful habit. But let's remove the smoking ban at the treatment centers. We need open doors that encourage people to get help for their problems, whether it is for illegal or legal drugs, and not establish inflexible rules that drive people away from life-saving programs.

While some may desire a more perfect world where people are able to quit all drugs at the same time and never relapse, the reality is that some may need to quit different drugs at different stages and relapse is a common experience when dealing with addiction.

Let's help people where they are at and not let perfect be the enemy of good.

Tony Newman is the media director at the Drug Policy Alliance.