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Smoking & Recovery Toolkit
The Smoking & Recovery Toolkit has been created to assist Treatment Facilities with implementing strategies to address the issue of smoking during recovery. It is widely recognized that there are very high rates of cigarette smoking among the Toolkit's population and that historically, facilities either look the other way or focus on cessation. The Toolkit offers solutions to best fit the needs of the individual during recovery with step-by-step guides for the organization.
Smoking Behavior In Recovery
For persons with a substance use disorder or who are in recovery, as well as for those who operate treatment facilities, smoking behavior has not much changed since the 1950s. There is a tolerance for cigarette smoking that can take years off the lifespan unless aggressively addressed. For many with a substance use problem who are addicted to cigarettes their smoking is closely aligned with their identity and their recovery. Fear of relapse to drugs or alcohol motivates many to continue smoking despite the lethality of cigarettes.
Call To Action
While most treatment and recovery centers have adopted appropriate signage and smoking policies that align with general community practice, there is a tendency to "look the other way" when it comes to directly addressing this addiction. Some of this reluctance stems from not knowing what to do.
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This Toolkit has been created to provide answers and solutions.
How To Use The Toolkit
The materials in this Toolkit are divided into two sections: organizational and individuals aids.
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The organizational items include basic educational materials and examples of policies and practices that will enable an organization to "up its game" by addressing cigarette use among persons in treatment.
1
A checklist that will allow agencies to assess where on the spectrum of best practices they are at present
2
An 8-level hierarchy of practices that describe how individual programs can improve their policies and practices.
3
A training PowerPoint is provided that can be viewed by all staff to better understand why organizational change is necessary.
The elements in the organizational section apply equally to treatment programs and recovery community centers (RCCs). With minor modification they may also be useful to sober living environments and recovery residences.
Research Accumulates Yearly That
Nicotine Addiction
Unaddressed nicotine addiction undermines complete recovery.
All Addictions
Treating all addictions simultaneously leads to the best outcomes.
Addressing Smoking
Treatment and recovery centers need to "up their game" in addressing smoking.
The Toolkit
It Is Created To Provide Answers And Solutions. The Materials In This Toolkit Are Divided Into Two Sections.
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