NJ S4316

Creates two new regulated professions in New Jersey: licensed clinical tobacco treatment specialists and certified tobacco treatment specialists, to be overseen by the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee within the State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners

Requires licensed clinical tobacco treatment specialists to hold at minimum a master's degree with 18 graduate semester hours in counseling, complete certification requirements, and pass a written examination from the Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence

Requires certified tobacco treatment specialists to complete the 42-hour Rutgers Tobacco Dependence Program plus varying amounts of supervised counseling experience based on educational background (1-4 years depending on degree level)

Mandates that all tobacco treatment specialists practice under the supervision of a licensed physician and prohibits use of specialist titles without proper licensure or certification

Extends patient confidentiality protections to tobacco treatment records and exempts physicians, social workers, psychologists, nurses, and other licensed healthcare professionals from the new requirements when acting within their existing scope of practice