HEALTHmattersMD

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability and death in the United States. To help you help your patients quit tobacco, we have created a new Tobacco Cessation Information and Resources microsite with recommendations, requirements and resources on the following topics: 

• Identifying patients who use or have used tobacco covers guidelines for identifying and documenting tobacco use—the first key step in helping people quit. 
• Treating patients who use tobacco covers counseling, treatment and other resources that can help your patients quit, like quit lines and mobile apps.
• Vulnerable populations covers clinical recommendations and guidelines for tobacco use and prevention in children, adolescents and pregnant people. It also highlights resources that can help your adolescent patients quit. 
• Provider education and training covers clinical guidelines, toolkits and ongoing trainings for continuing medical education credit (CME/CE). These resources are designed to help you deliver and support effective treatments for tobacco use.

Social determinants of health play a significant part in tobacco-use related disparities. As a result, some vulnerable communities experience higher rates of tobacco use and tobacco-related health disparities. For example: 

• People living in poverty and adults with lower levels of education smoke cigarettes at a higher rate than the general population.
• There is often a higher density of tobacco retailers located in low-socioeconomic areas, low-income African American communities and communities with more LGBTQIA+ couples.