Empowering Change: Social Work's Role in Preventing Smoking and Shaping Tobacco Discourse

Background: Tobacco use remains “one of the biggest public health threats” [1] in the world and is responsible for over 8 million deaths a year [1]. Although social work is supposed to enhance well-being [2] and frequently serve as the initial, and in some cases, the sole point of interaction with vulnerable populations [3], whereas smoking prevalence is especially high [4], social work has been criticized as passive in its stance [5]. Therefore, social workers have a responsibility for the well-being of their clients that they are currently not fulfilling.

Methods: Based on current literature, we want to present and discuss tobacco harm reduction as a strategy for social workers in dealing with smoking during a workshop. 

Results: Tobacco harm reduction is a conceptual framework and set of practices that focus on the minimization of harm [6]. With tobacco harm reduction, abstinence can still be the goal - as long as this is a stated ambition expressed by the client. Harm reduction and social work share many values [7], which is why harm reduction is described as a better intellectual and political fit [5]. To implement tobacco harm reduction into social work the profession is facing the following challenges: (1) Accept that smoking is a social work issue, (2) train social workers to deal with smoking, (3) make smoking an issue in working with clients, (4) address smoking on an institutional and political level, and (5) push further research on the topic. 

Discussion: By presenting and discussing these steps, we want to contribute to the prevention of risky and harmful behaviors such as smoking, especially amongst vulnerable groups. Furthermore, we want to change that social work is currently absent from tobacco-related discussions.

References

[1] World Health Organization. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Geneva: 2023.

[2] IFSW - International Federation of Social Workers, editor. Global Definition of Social Work 2014.

[3] Acquavita SP. How social work can address the tobacco epidemic. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions 2020;20:82–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533256X.2020.1702348.

[4] Hiscock R, Bauld L, Amos A, Fidler JA, Munafò M. Socioeconomic status and smoking: a review. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2012;1248:107–23. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06202.x.

[5] Eversman MH. Tobacco Harm Reduction: An Emerging Health Issue for Social Work. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions 2015;15:341–51. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533256X.2015.1091001.

[6] Mancini MA, Linhorst DM. Harm Reduction in Community Mental Health Settings. Journal of Social Work in Disability & Rehabilitation 2010;9:130–47. 

[7] Pelan M. Re-visioning Drug Use: A Shift Away From Criminal Justice and Abstinence-based Approaches. Social Work and Society 2015;13.