Smoking cessation's impact on sobriety: Directors' beliefs link to treatments offered in substance abuse centers

Data were collected using telephone surveys administered September 2011 - July 2012 to 881 program directors and administrators (PAs) from substance abuse treatment facilities randomly selected using the SAMHSA database. Despite current research indicating that sustaining from nicotine while quitting other drugs helps maintain long-term sobriety, results from this study indicate almost 18% of PAs believe quitting smoking early in substance abuse treatment decreases chances of sobriety. Another 20% believe smoking cessation (SC) interventions have no effect on sobriety. PAs who believe SC interventions early in treatment decrease/have no effect on sobriety were significantly more likely to: Believe their staff has no interest in providing SC treatments (p=0.00), believe letting patients continue smoking facilitates successful treatment of their primary substance abuse issues (p=0.00), and to not be licensed/certified as a substance abuse professional (p=0.04). These PAs' programs were also significantly less likely than PAs who believed SC increases sobriety to offer SC treatments like: Brief counselor interventions (p=0.001), social support or problem solving/skills training counseling (p=0.00), group counseling (p=0.00), and self-help materials (p=0.005). Availability of the nicotine patch (p=0.002) and counselor training/resources on SC treatments (p=0.00) were also significantly less likely. PAs' beliefs contradict research supporting SC and correlate with their programs' lack of treatment options. PAs often control treatment protocols, and addressing their beliefs is a vital step toward increasing SC in substance abuse treatment centers.