Nearly Half of Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities Offer Counseling or Medication to Help Clients Quit Tobacco Use


People in substance abuse treatment are more likely than the general public to use tobacco products.1 They are also more likely to be dependent on nicotine, the addictive substance in tobacco.1 Smoking tobacco causes more deaths among people in treatment than use of alcohol or drugs.1

The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) is a survey of all known substance abuse treatment facilities in the United States. In 2012, nearly half of facilities (46 percent) offered any counseling or medications to help clients quit tobacco use. About 39 percent of facilities offered counseling, 22 percent offered nicotine replacement medication, and 16 percent offered non-nicotine medication.

Substance abuse treatment providers can play a vital role in helping clients quit tobacco use. To fulfill this role, more providers should consider adding services such as tobacco use screens, counseling, and medications to help clients quit tobacco use. They can also encourage clients to use quitlines (1-800-QUIT NOW) and online resources such as http://smokefree.gov/.2 For more information about quitting tobacco use during substance abuse treatment, please see https://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content/SMA11-4636CLIN/SMA11-4636CLIN.pdf.

Figure. Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities Offering Services to Quit Tobacco Use: 2012
This is a bar graph comparing substance abuse treatment facilities offering services to quit tobacco use: 2012. Accessible table located below this figure.

Figure Table. Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities Offering Services to Quit Tobacco Use: 2012
Services Offered Percent of Facilities
Any Counseling or Medication 46%
Counseling to Quit Smoking 39%
Nicotine Replacement Medication 22%
Non-nicotine Medication 16%

End Notes
1 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2011). Tobacco use cessation during substance abuse treatment counseling. Advisory, 10(2). Retrieved from https://store.samhsa.gov/shin/content/SMA11-4636CLIN/SMA11-4636CLIN.pdf
2 Tobacco Use and Dependence Guideline Panel. (2008). Clinical Practice Guideline: Treating tobacco use and dependence: 2008 update. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/clinicians-providers/guidelines-recommendations/tobacco/clinicians/update/treating_tobacco_use08.pdf

Source: 2012 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS). N-SSATS is an annual survey of all substance abuse treatment facilities in the United States, both public and private, that are known to SAMHSA. N-SSATS is one component of the Behavioral Health Services Information System (BHSIS), an integrated data system maintained by the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, SAMHSA. Information and data for this report are based on data reported to N-SSATS for the survey reference date March 30, 2012. For more information on N-SSATS, see https://www.samhsa.gov/data/DASIS/NSSATS2012_Web.pdf.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities. The Data Spotlight may be copied without permission. Citation of the source is appreciated. Find this report and those on similar topics online at https://www.samhsa.gov/data/.