Tobacco Prevention and Cessation
The Tobacco Prevention and Cessation page provides information and resources to support your wellness.
Quitting smoking or vaping can be hard, but there are ways to make it easier. Improve your chances of quitting smoking or vaping through approved medicine and counseling.
Quitting smoking and vaping will:
• Improve the quality of your life
• Make climbing stairs easier
• Lower your risk of diabetes
• Help wounds to heal more quickly
• Support your recovery from alcohol and other drugs
• Improve the health of your family and friends
• Set a good example for your children
• Save you money
• Provide more employment options
Special considerations for persons with a mental health condition:
Persons with mental illness smoke over 44% of the cigarettes consumed in this country. Tobacco use is highly comorbid with other addictions, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and mood disorders. It is also the “gateway drug” to other drugs of abuse, which can be a trigger for the onset of other psychiatric illness, particularly in transition age youth.
Tobacco use can alter psychiatric medication blood levels thus increase the amount of medication needed. Tobacco use contributes significantly to the early mortality for those with severe and persistent mental illness. It is also one more financial burden and social stigma for those seeking better housing and employment opportunities.