In 2008, the Truth Initiative and the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center began a strategic partnership to support people in their efforts to become ‘tobacco free’. Since then, the EX program has helped many thousands of people to recover. The counseling staff at the Nicotine Dependence Center (NDC) is very happy to commemorate this milestone, and to continue to serve in our role as clinical partner to Truth and the EX Community.
The mission of the NDC is to inspire hope and empower change for healthier living and a future free from tobacco. During the past 30 years, in pursuit of this mission, we have provided counseling and treatment to 10’s of thousands of patients, trained thousands of health care providers to help their patients stop smoking, and have participated in hundreds of research studies to improve treatment of tobacco use disorder. But, none of our work is more germane to our mission than our relationship with EX and Truth.
As a society, we have made significant progress in addressing the tobacco epidemic. During the past 10 years smoking rates have declined from about 20% to about 16% today. But, almost 40 million Americans continue to smoke. The large majority of these people wish they never would have started, and if they don’t quit, more than half will die from a tobacco caused illness.
We still have important work ahead. We look forward to continuing to work with the community and the Truth team to develop new ways to connect with all those who want to stop and support them in becoming an ‘EX’.
Congrats and thanks for being part of this successful 10 year journey. We look forward to many more!
Dr. Hays and the NDC Treatment Team
