Dawn Farm Addiction And Recovery Education Series

“Dispelling Myths about Smoking, Mental Health/Substance Use Disorders and Recovery” was presented on February 19, 2019; by Rosemary Bak Lowery, MS, CHES®, CNP, ACSM-CPT; Certified Health Education Specialist. Adults with mental illness, including substance use disorder (SUD,) are at risk of dying 25 years earlier than the general population. The major contributor to this premature mortality is smoking-related disease. While cigarette smoking has trended downward in recent years, it is still highly prevalent in adults with mental health and/or substance use disorder (MH/SUD). Why is this so? Recent research has suggested that the biggest issue lies with the many common myths and misperceptions about the relationship between smoking, MH/SUD and recovery. This program will shed light on popularly-cited “facts” about smoking, reinforced by both consumers and care professionals alike. Viewers will gain a deeper understanding of the extent of this public health problem and understand how they can be a part of the