Commercial Tobacco and People with Behavioral Health Disorders

Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death among those with behavioral health disorders. On average, people with co-occurring behavioral health disorders and tobacco-use disorder lose 25 years of their lives due to tobacco use. 

In addition to the adverse health effects from tobacco use, a number of studies show that smoking has been found to be predictive of future suicidal behavior among youth and adults independent of depressive symptoms, prior suicidal acts and other substance use. It is important to note that there is evidence that quitting smoking appears to mitigate the risk.1

However, people with behavioral health disorders can and want to become tobacco-free. Becoming tobacco-free has significant positive effects on behavioral health:

• For those with substance use disorders, becoming tobacco-free is associated with increased likelihood of long-term abstinence from other drugs; and
• Becoming tobacco-free has been found to have as much positive effect on mood and anxiety symptoms as anti-depressant treatment.

These are reasons why QuitlineNC offers a special program for those with a behavioral health condition who feel it will affect their ability to become tobacco-free.

Resources

The following resources can help you to integrate tobacco-use treatment into treatment for those with co-occurring behavioral health conditions:

• The National Behavioral Health Network’s BHthechange.org
• The Smoking Cessation Leadership Center’s behavioral health resource page
• Breathe Easy, Live Well Curriculum

Check out this infographic from BHthechange.org

SAMHSA resources:

• Implementing Tobacco Cessation Treatment for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness A Quick Guide for Program Directors and Clinicians
• Implementing Tobacco Cessation Programs in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Settings

Tobacco-free policies help people become and stay tobacco-free. Need help implementing a tobacco-free policy at your behavioral health program? Contact your local tobacco prevention and control regional manager.

• 1

  Prochaska JJ, Das S, Young-Wolff KC. Smoking, Mental Illness, and Public Health. Annu Rev Public Health. 2017; 38:165–185. doi:10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031816-044618