Tobacco is the number one cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S. It’s responsible for 430,000 deaths per year, and causes serious health complications such as lung disease, coronary heart disease, bronchitis, emphysema, and cancer. Many people with substance abuse disorders are also addicted to nicotine, or at least smoke regularly, but drug rehab programs often don’t treat or even address tobacco use. What is the effect of continuing to smoke during recovery?   According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), people struggling with substance abuse are much more likely to smoke cigarettes. 75% of people over the age of 12 who were treated at an addiction recovery facility within the past year reported cigarette smoking within the past month. In comparison, 24% of the general public reported cigarette smoking within the past month. People with substance abuse disorders likely turn to cigarettes because they offer a soothing, calming effect, and are seen as the lesser of two evils. Over time, however, those with chemical dependencies are more likely to become addicted to tobacco because their brains are already conditioned for addiction due to their pre-existing substance abuse disorder.   Despite what many people believe, smoking cigarettes is much more harmful than other forms of substance abuse in the long run. According to SAMHSA, an 11-year study found that out of 845 people who were in addiction treatment programs, 51% died due to tobacco-related…