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“What participants learn that they didn’t know before is really amazing. That information moves them from resistance to the next level of readiness for change.”
— Diane Mills,
Tobacco Cessation Trainer

“Sometimes participants will go through a life event that makes them ready for change, and the culture is right there. The consumers really help each other. We even see smokers helping out other people with quitting.”
— Bernadette Cain,
Training for Change

“Some even quit — and they never even joined the smoking cessation group. They got the information from their peers, and it was a result of culture-changing activities.”

— Tara Fredericks, MSW

"It’s amazing the misinformation that’s prevalent, too. Some staff, even, thought that nicotine was a carcinogen, and so they didn’t want to use nicotine replacement medications.”

— Diane Mills,
Tobacco Cessation Trainer

"There has to be recognition of the need for commitment — long-term — for training and follow-up."

— Tara Fredericks, MSW

Is addressing tobacco dependence in individuals with mental illness or substance use disorders possible?

Yes. And it’s the right thing to do.

While the toll paid for tobacco use among the general population is enormous, for tobacco users who also have a mental illness or substance use disorder it is even more staggering. The challenge might seem insurmountable. But it isn’t.

View the video clip on this page to see how some organizations have worked through the challenge of tobacco cessation to become champions. Mental health and substance use counselors can test their preparedness with the Tobacco Cessation Self-Test. Let us know if our collection of resources and free downloads is complete.

This website is part of the Help to Quit Tobacco Cessation Program Resource created by beBetter Health.

There is now compelling evidence
that individuals with mental illness do respond to tailored interventions which address their specific needs, and are able to quit smoking. This evidence was the result of a new model developed by Clubhouse of Suffolk, a non-profit provider of psychiatric rehabilitation services. The video clip shown here is just a segment from "Smoke Alarm," a longer-length feature developed by Clubhouse of Suffolk which discusses the disparate impact of smoking on the lives of people with psychiatric disabilities. The video features Clubhouse members who have reduced or quit smoking.