Bold Move, Smart Move –
DECEMBER 28, 2018- The programs will offer medication and counseling to manage nicotine withdrawal to any tobacco users, including e-cigarette users, who are admitted to the facilities for substance use treatment. Staffers and visitors will be prohibited from smoking or bringing tobacco products onto the premises. City officials cited pointed to research that shows people with an addiction to drugs or alcohol are more likely to die from a smoking-related illness than from other substances they are consuming. “Providing substance use treatment in a smoke-free environment will not only help us to improve addiction recovery outcomes for people, it will also help us to improve their overall health outcomes – consistent with our population health approach to delivering behavioral health services in Philadelphia,” Behavioral Health Commissioner David T. Jones said in a statement. Smoking-related conditions cause 49 percent of deaths among people with alcohol addictions, according to statistics released by the city. Among cocaine and opioid users, smoking-related conditions cause about 40 percent of deaths.
