May 2, 2019
We hope you enjoy this monthly newsletter fr om the Training & Education Program at the Center for Tobacco Independence.

for the Annual Tobacco Treatment & Prevention Conference!

(Scroll down for more info)
What's the Research?
An Effective Tobacco Intervention for People with Severe Mental Illness

People with severe mental illness are more likely to be smokers, to smoke more and to have a harder time quitting than those without such a diagnosis. We know that they want to quit and CAN quit. Yet historically it has been challenging to provide this population with effective tobacco treatment.

A recent UK study evaluated tobacco interventions among heavy smokers with diagnoses of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either “usual care” – including access to cessation services and a free telephone quitline – or a “bespoke” model of treatment. The bespoke intervention consisted of tobacco treatment from a trained mental health practitioner, home visits, pharmacological aids for smoking cessation, preloading of NRT products, and other supports and adaptations for people with severe mental illness.

The results were encouraging. Researchers were able to biochemically verify that over twice as many patients who received the bespoke intervention had quit smoking at six months versus those who received usual care. This supports the provision of tobacco treatment designed specifically for people with severe mental illness.

Access the article HERE.


Article citation : SG DPhil, E Peckham, D Bailey et al. Smoking cessation for people with severe mental illness (SCIMITAR+): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial. Lancet Psychiatry, 6(2019), pp. 379-390
Online Course Update
We are happy to report that our new online course will be available soon! Keep your eye out for:

Tobacco Treatment Medications -
Myths vs. Facts

This 30-minute asynchronous course provides .5 CMEs and is designed for maximum convenience - complete it whenever you have time. The course addresses common misconceptions and outdated information regarding tobacco treatment medications. It also offers practical guidance for talking with clients and patients about using these products.


Our Pilot Participants have given us much useful feedback, including some testimonials:


"The language was very clear and easy to retain"

"The material is very complementary to other Tobacco Training materials; it expanded and clarified significant information and helped with ways to convey that information to clients"

"I strongly appreciated having access to (the optional research articles)"

"Most of my colleagues still believe most of the myths"

"Can't wait to share it!"


A huge THANK YOU to our pilot participants for their help!

Selected Resource
Addressing Tobacco Use in the Behavioral Health Population

Did you know that 1 in 3 adults with a mental illness use tobacco?

Treating tobacco in the behavioral health setting can be challenging (see research above). It is important to know the scope of the issue. The infographic provided here outlines some associated statistics and can be shared with colleagues.

To access the infographic, CLICK HERE or on the image.

Note: there are many other RESOURCES available on our new website!
Upcoming Events

Webinar

Tuesday, May 7, 2019 ~ 12 - 1pm


One-Day Training

Thursday, May 16, 2019 ~ Presque Isle

ANNUAL TOBACCO TREATMENT & PREVENTION CONFERENCE

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June 17 - 19, 2019
DoubleTree by Hilton, South Portland


Pre-Conference Workshop: June 17th, 1 - 4pm

Join Dr. Marc Steinberg for this workshop, which will cover pharmacological and psychosocial approaches to treating tobacco dependence with emphasis on issues relevant to smokers with psychiatric comorbidity. This session is intended for individuals who are providing tobacco treatment, particularly those who are planning on pursuing the National Certificate in Tobacco Treatment Practice.


Full Day Conference: June 18th

The full-day conference will feature a keynote by Dr. Marc Steinberg focused on why addressing tobacco should be a priority in behavioral health settings.

The event features a variety of other sessions related to:

  • Treatment in behavioral health settings
  • Supporting pregnant women who use tobacco
  • Addressing nicotine, tobacco and cannabis use in the digital age
  • Implementing tobacco-free workplace interventions
  • and more!


Post-Conference: June 19th, 8:30am - 12pm

Teen vaping, JUULing and e-cigarette use: what’s the buzz?

Join Dr. Nicholas Chadi for a session that will highlight recent epidemiological trends in e-cigarette use with a focus on adolescents and young adults.



For more information about the Training & Education Program, visit:

MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence (CTI)
Tobacco Treatment Training and Education Program
CTI provides education and training on evidence-based tobacco treatment to healthcare and behavioral health professionals in Maine on behalf of the Maine CDC, DHHS. Our goal is to improve access to high quality, best practice tobacco treatment and create a network of tobacco treatment specialists across the state.