Tobacco Cessation

The use of tobacco products is the leading cause of premature death for people with mental illness or substance use disorders and contributes to persons with mental illness dying an average of 25 years earlier than the general population. Tobacco is responsible for greater morbidity than alcohol and all other drugs combined and is more deadly to people with substance use disorders than their primary presenting substance used. The towering morbidity and mortality rates in this population are also propelled by chronic diseases associated with tobacco use. These include diabetes, COPD and asthma, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

The Department of Mental Health believes that overall health is essential to mental health and that recovery includes wellness. Reducing or preventing tobacco use among consumers of DMH services is critical to both mental and physical health and wellbeing. Tobacco cessation should be an active goal of every mental health provider.

Below are resources that providers may find useful as they pursue tobacco dependence treatment for both consumers and staff.

ToolKits and Clinical Guides

Tobacco Is Changing statewide media campaign, which launched on April 1, 2025 and ended June 30th, 2025. The results exceeded our expectations, delivering 44,406,138 impressions compared to 33,486,296 impressions from the 2023 campaign flight. The campaign website and media kit were updated to include new video assets. All of the campaign materials, including the videos, social media content, post copy and fact sheets, are available to download for partner and public use from the media toolkit page. 

Partners are represented through the video end slates and at the base of the campaign website. Users can visit partner websites by clicking on their logo located at the bottom of the website. Since the previous campaign, youth cessation services have been updated from Live Vape Free to My Life My Quit. 

Obtaining Tobacco Cessation Products in MO