Seabrook House Goes Proactive On Smoking Ban

Treatment Facility Puts State Law into Practice Early

SEABROOK, N.J., Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Although a regulation to make all rehab facilities entirely smoke-free is still months away, Seabrook House has made its decision to be ahead of the curve and provide a truly drug-free environment for its patients starting today.

"Seabrook House has earned its reputation for excellence in the treatment of adults suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction, and we pride ourselves on the importance of promoting health and wellness of the mind, body and spirit," said President Ed Diehl. "Nicotine is one of the most heavily used addictive drugs and the leading preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the country. At Seabrook House we must set a healthy example, and looking the other way while patients light up is contrary to the very mission of this facility."

The statewide ban of smoking at all addiction recovery centers will go into effect on December 12, 2012, as part of the 2008 smoking ban legislation.

According to Diehl, addicts are more likely to have long-term success if they quit smoking at the same time they enter treatment.  Also the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found that smoking cessation intervention provided during addiction treatment was associated with a 25% greater chance of maintaining long-term abstinence from alcohol and drugs.

"Along with the ban, we have implemented a smoking cessation program that includes nicotine patches and lozenges at no cost to our patients," said Diehl.  "The recovery of our patients is our priority, and we believe that banning tobacco is critical in a successful treatment program.  It is important to foster an overall recovery plan that involves health and wellness for the optimal chance for recovery."

Seabrook House is an internationally recognized, private CARF-accredited addiction treatment center with several locations. The main facility is located in Bridgeton, NJ, convenient to Pennsylvania, New York and surrounding states. Our 90-day transitional living facility for men, Seabrook House West, is located in north central Pennsylvania in the town of Westfield. Our 90-day transitional living facility for women, Changes, is located on our main campus. A regional office is located in New York City, along with outpatient offices in Cherry Hill and Northfield, NJ. Seabrook House has been helping families find the courage to find recovery from alcoholism, drug addiction, substance abuse and other compulsive diseases since 1974.

To contact Seabrook House, please visit the organization's web site at www.SeabrookHouse.org, or call the 24-hour help line at 1-800-761-7575.

SOURCE Seabrook House