Tobacco Use Disorder
Tobacco
At least 65% of patients in addiction treatment smoke cigarettes. More mental health treatment and substance use disorder treatment patients die from illnesses related to their tobacco use than from their symptoms of mental illness or their primary substance combined.
Tobacco
CKF Addiction Treatment is 100% tobacco free at all locations, and we are the first treatment provider in Kansas to go 100% tobacco free at an intermediate residential treatment facility.
We are a tobacco free facility because it is the right thing to do for recovery and our patients' overall health. Tobacco Use Disorder is a diagnosable substance use disorder. It should be treated the same as, and along with, all other substance use disorders. In fact, quitting tobacco use during treatment is linked to a 25% increase in long-term sobriety.
How does tobacco affect
the brain and body?
Using tobacco products activates the reward pathway in the brain much like all other substances of abuse. This means that the brain is practicing the addiction process every time you take a break to use tobacco.
Damage
According to the CDC, more than 480,000 deaths each year are caused by cigarette smoking. Tobacco use and smoking do damage to nearly every organ in the human body, often leading to lung cancer, respiratory disorders, heart disease, stroke, and other illnesses.
Dependence
Nicotine is the component in tobacco products that creates physical dependence. Nicotine is not harmful to the adult brain. The harmful component of tobacco products is essentially everything that is 'wrapped around' the nicotine (i.e. tobacco, chemicals, etc.). Patients can be on nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) long-term in order to balance out their brain chemistry, and this will not harm their health.
Problematic
Nicotine is not good for the adolescent brain, because brain development is still in process. When nicotine is present, the brain assumes that nicotine is a natural chemical in the brain. This is problematic when the rest of the brain chemicals and processes are trying to adapt in a healthy way for normal functioning.