Is 2018 the year you will get healthy? Quitting tobacco can be part of your Florida drug rehab program.

Although tobacco is universally classified as a drug, people in treatment have historically clung to smoking as one final vice to get them through the difficult times. After all, cigarettes are not as bad as cocaine or alcohol, right?

Actually, tobacco-related illnesses kill nearly 500,000 Americans every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. That is well over 400,000 more deaths than every other drug that the National Institute on Drug Abuse tracks, combined.

In Florida, the numbers are just as startling. According to the state Department of Health, 28,600 adult Floridians die from a smoking-related illness each year. Further, 20 people suffer from a smoking-related illness for every one person who dies.

The good news is that people successfully stop smoking in treatment every day. In Florida drug rehab, you could conquer two addictions at once and walk ahead into a healthier, drug-free future.

There Is a Shift in Thought About Tobacco Use

Even now, some people still smoke throughout drug and alcohol treatment. Some believe that it helps people in treatment handle stress. David McMaster, former director of St. Francis addiction recovery program in Wisconsin, tells the La Crosse Tribune that it is not true, and the days of smoking in treatment are numbered. He also implies that fact should not frighten people in recovery and those thinking about entering treatment.

Time was, many, if not most, people considered smoking a personality quirk. It was a bad habit, people often thought, but certainly not in the same category as drug or alcohol addiction.

That is not entirely true. Smoking is not just a habit; it is an addiction. Not only that, it kills hundreds of thousands more people each year than the most dangerous known addictive drugs.

More drug and alcohol treatment centers now offer smoking cessation as part of a comprehensive addiction recovery program. What once seemed almost cruel—to take away cigarettes while going through treatment—is now considered smart and perhaps the best time to kick cigarettes and other tobacco products to the curb.

Smoking is Now Related to Mental Health Issues

Imagine if treating mental health made it easier to put down cigarettes for good. That is happening now.

Many people in treatment are discovered to have a co-occurring disorder, such as PTSD, anxiety, or depression. Interestingly, research shows that the real heart of nicotine addiction, at least for many people, may also lie with mental health issues.

In Australia, the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre says there are lots of demographic factors, such as socioeconomic status, a history of childhood trauma, or lower education levels. However, what is rising to the top in tobacco addiction research is the role that mental health problems play.

Simply put, the Centre says:

“Research has found that mental health problems reduce the likelihood of quitting smoking. Hence, it appears that there is a need to further examine interventions for smokers with mental health and substance use problems.”

Left untreated, mental health issues can decrease the likelihood of quitting drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

While you might not enter Florida drug rehab solely to stop smoking, there is no better time to quit than while you are in treatment. You will have support whenever you need it in a clean, comfortable, and healthy environment. You will also have access to positive activities, such as yoga, which research shows can improve the odds of long-term abstinence.

Our programs address addictions and co-occurring disorders. Any underlying condition that makes you more likely to smoke and abuse drugs will be treated. Contact us today to learn more about weaving smoking cessation into your treatment program.