A recommendation to include support for perinatal smoking-cessation treatment in the SAMHSA advisory on contingency management.

Abstract

This Commentary offers a brief, evidence-based recommendation that perinatal smoking cessation be included among the list of substance use disorders that the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has approved for use of federal funds to support Contingency Management (CM) treatment. Perinatal smoking is a serious U.S. public health problem that adversely impacts the health of mothers and exposed infants, and for which more effective and accessible treatments are sorely needed. CM treatment wherein patients receive material incentives contingent on abstaining from drug use or meeting other treatment goals is a highly effective treatment for a broad range of substance use disorders including smoking cessation. Evidence from randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses investigating CM's efficacy for perinatal smoking cessation are briefly summarized. The evidence provides robust empirical support for CM's efficacy for improving perinatal smoking-cessation rates. With SAMHSA's support and broad implementation, CM has the potential to meet the need for more effective and accessible perinatal smoking-cessation treatment in the U.S.