Working Together to Combat Tobacco Use

It is well-established that tobacco use is associated with a wide range of negative health consequences, and these effects occur at a higher incidence among individuals with co-occurring mental illness. Compared to those in the general population, this vulnerable population smokes more, dies younger, and suffers disproportionately higher rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2014). The Clinical Practice Guideline for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence sets forth a series of recommendations for populations of smokers, including those with co-occurring mental illness, and establishes the fact that counseling from a healthcare provider can approximately double patients' odds of quitting (Fiore et al., 2008)