In the United States we have a group of individuals who are trained experts at saving lives.  These experts treat the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, one that results in ten times the annual deaths from all the illegal drugs combined (nearly a half million Americans a year!).  Yet relatively few know of their existence. These experts are Tobacco Treatment Specialists (TTS).  Most are not highly educated physicians, but when trained to ATTUD standards these individuals provide state-of-the-art treatment supported by the latest scientific evidence base for treating tobacco dependence.

You would think that with smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in the US physicians would receive rigorous training to treat smokers—and that they would be jumping at the bit to do so.  But, you would be wrong.  Most physicians receive very little training about helping smokers quit and report being too busy to do anything more than ask their patients whether they smoke, and if they do, most provide only brief advice to quit.  Some prescribe medication to help with nicotine withdrawal.

The recent Clinical Practice Guideline Update (Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence) states that while 90% of smokers report they have been asked about their smoking status by a health care provider and more than 70% report receiving some counseling to quit, physicians’ failure to assess and intervene consistently continues despite the existence of effective treatments.  The Guideline concludes that “tobacco presents a rare confluence of circumstances: (1) a highly significant health threat; (2) a lack of consistent intervention by clinicians; and (3) the presence of effective treatments."

Tobacco Treatment Specialists work in a variety of settings that include health care systems, state tobacco quitlines, private clinics, and charity organizations.  While physicians receive a few hours of tobacco related training, TTS may receive over 200 hours.  Coupled with a college degree, this training hones their counseling skills, their knowledge of effective medications to treat smoking, a clear understanding of the risks of continued smoking, as well as the benefits of quitting.  Most of all, they have a passion for their work.  They care. They produce results.  Helping addicted smokers quit is what they do.  And for many smokers they are their last hope.

Tobacco Treatment Specialists are among America’s real heroes. They complement physician advice to quit smoking by serving as a referral source for physicians and health systems that is effective and welcoming.  They provide evidence-based care for many who have struggled for years to end this life-threatening addiction.