PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A smoking ban at inpatient drug treatment centers, put in place by the City of Philadelphia almost three years ago, is being walked back.
Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services has ended its smoking ban at the city’s 80 inpatient facilities that receive funding through Community Behavioral Health, the city’s Medicaid pass-through agency.
"Some people may not be in a place of readiness or wanting to stop smoking or vaping, but they do want to stop using more imminently deadly drugs," said community advocate Brooke Feldman.
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"While the goal has been great, which is smoking cessation, we know that tobacco-related illness is the leading cause of death for people with mental health or substance abuse disorders. We also know we have to meet people where they are at."
Initially, DBHIDS defended the policy, citing research showing recovery from drug addiction is more successful when patients also quit smoking.
As the ban has been rolled back, DBHIDS Commissioner Dr. Jill Bowen said it’s important to engage people where they are in their recovery journey.
"We need to make sure that we have treatment that accommodates those folks, so if they need to go out and smoke or vape, they’re able to do so," Feldman added.
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"That we engage them in smoking cessation rather than force them into it."
Feldman said she knows all too well how harmful even one barrier to treatment can be when seeking help with addiction.
"When I sought treatment in 2005, honestly, cigarettes were the last thing to go when it came to the different substances I used to just manage," said Feldman.
"When we have an overdose crisis like we have in Philadelphia, the 'If this doesn’t work for you, too bad' (philosophy) means death."
