Over 80% of people with substance use disorders (SUDs), including opioid use disorder (OUD), smoke cigarettes. While smoking prevalence has decreased in the general population, it remains stubbornly high among people with opioid use disorder (OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUDs). Evidence suggests that conventional smoking cessation treatments are not as successful for people with SUDs as they are in the general population. This training will present the most recent epidemiology on smoking and use of cessation aids among people with SUDs, summarize the state of the science concerning smoking cessation treatment in this population, and present new data from Nevada on a smoking harm minimization intervention using e-cigarettes.
Learning objectives:
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
- Describe the prevalence of cigarette smoking and use of cessation aids among people with opioid use disorder (OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUDs).
- Summarize the state of the science concerning smoking cessation treatments for people with SUDs.
- Weigh the pros and cons of e-cigarettes as a smoking harm minimization tool for people with opioid use disorder (OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUDs).
Presented by: Jennifer Pearson, MPH, PhD
Jennifer Pearson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Policy, and Administration Sciences in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Reno. Broadly, her research focuses on how regulation of tobacco and cannabis product characteristics, packaging, and advertising affects consumer behavior and public health outcomes. Dr. Pearson has authored over 130 scientific peer-reviewed scientific articles on tobacco and cannabis policy and published in high-impact journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, the American Journal of Public Health, and Tobacco Control. Dr. Pearson earned her doctorate in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2011, and her Master of Public Health degree from George Washington University in 2007. Dr. Pearson started her career in public health as a Tobacco Education Coordinator for the American Lung Association of Nevada and served as a US Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea from 2002-2004.
Continuing Education Units: 1 CEU
This training is approved for continuing education by the boards listed here.
This training is also approved by the Nevada Certification Board for the following certifications:
- Peer Support Specialist (PRSS) and Peer Support Specialist Supervisor (PRSS-S)
- Community Health Worker (CHW)
- Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS)
Funding for this activity was made possible in whole or in part by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Director’s Office through the Fund for a Resilient Nevada, established in Nevada Revised Statutes 433.712 through 433.744. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in our courses are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Nevada Opioid Center of Excellence or its funders.