Nicotine Dependence Center

People who want to stop using tobacco find the care they need at Mayo Clinic, where specialists in smoking cessation support them as they try to live tobacco- and nicotine-free. The Mayo Clinic team of tobacco treatment specialists offers a range of treatment options, including counseling, medication, behavioral therapies, a residential smoking cessation program and relapse prevention strategies.

The Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center at Mayo Clinic's campus in Minnesota was one of the first centers in the United States to focus exclusively on treatments for tobacco dependence. This model of care has now become the standard in many medical centers.

The treatment team at the center offers you support and works with you to help develop the motivation and skills needed to stop using tobacco.

• Experience. Each year thousands of people benefit from the stop-smoking services at Mayo Clinic's campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota.
• Treatment offerings. Mayo Clinic's campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota offer a variety of stop-smoking treatment options, including individualized evaluation and planning, ongoing in-person support by telephone, web or text, and, in Minnesota, an intensive residential treatment program.
• Comprehensive, evidence-based care. Mayo Clinic's nicotine dependence treatment services are supervised by doctors. That means all aspects of your condition are considered in the treatment process. Your care team makes sure that your nicotine dependence treatment is coordinated with care you are receiving for other medical conditions, when necessary.
• Latest research. Mayo Clinic nicotine dependence researchers have conducted clinical trials of drugs that help people quit tobacco. They also research behavior therapy, treatment outcomes, causes of nicotine dependence, cost-effectiveness of treatment, and integrating best practices for tobacco treatment into health care systems.
• Educational opportunities. The Nicotine Dependence Center Education Program offers tobacco education for health care professionals. Offerings include an annual Tobacco Dependence Treatment Conference, tobacco treatment specialist certification training, patient intervention materials, distance learning opportunities and customized workshops. Some education programs can also be offered in your community.

Read more about nicotine dependence and stop-smoking services.

Carbon monoxide monitoring

A program participant uses a carbon monoxide monitoring device.

Mayo Clinic offers the following treatment options for people who want to break a nicotine addiction or stop smoking. Your treatment team can help you in changing thoughts, behaviors and habits around the use of nicotine. Tobacco use is a cause of many health conditions, including heart (cardiovascular) disease, 14 types of cancer and respiratory illness. Treating nicotine dependence is an important factor in treatment of these and other conditions. Stopping smoking will significantly improve surgical outcomes.

Availability of some services varies among Mayo Clinic locations. Please confirm when you request an appointment.

• Video consultation. Mayo Clinic patients can self-schedule a video consultation with the medical director of the Nicotine Dependence Center by logging into their patient portal. In this session you can talk about medicines and counseling options.
• Individual consultation and customized treatment plan. Your treatment begins with a one-on-one consultation at Mayo Clinic. Then many people follow up with one or more individual sessions, which can be done in person or virtually by video or phone. These sessions can help you stay motivated, avoid or address relapse, and gain confidence in your ability to stay free of tobacco or e-cigarettes.
• Outpatient counseling. Your first meeting is a comprehensive consultation with a tobacco treatment specialist (TTS). You do not need to be ready to quit to benefit from this meeting. The TTS works with you to understand your short- and long-term goals for tobacco and nicotine use and for quitting in a way that works for you when you are ready. The TTS will help you develop a plan that can work for you. Depending on your situation, the TTS may also work with a supervising doctor to prescribe a medication plan. And your tobacco treatment team coordinates with any other care providers you have at Mayo Clinic to ensure your tobacco treatment plan fits with your overall care at the clinic.
• Residential smoking cessation program. This intensive smoking rehab program includes daily visits to Mayo Clinic for individual and group counseling led by our team of certified TTS counselors. It also includes medical supervision by tobacco treatment experts, educational sessions and supervised aftercare.
• Bedside treatment during hospitalization. If you're hospitalized, a TTS may visit you at your bedside. The specialist can help make sure you get medications helpful in managing nicotine withdrawal and cravings while you're in the hospital. And the specialist may also talk with you about your intentions for nicotine and tobacco use and help you develop a plan to achieve your goals after you leave the hospital.

Mayo Clinic provides top-quality, evidence-based care for tobacco and nicotine dependence. Its nonjudgmental and supportive specialists help you develop a plan that gives you the best chance of success. When you're ready to stop, the right treatment approach can make it easier than you might think.

If you're not ready to quit, you can still benefit from a visit with a tobacco treatment specialist to learn more about why stopping tobacco use can be difficult and develop a plan so that you can succeed — when you're ready.