Smoking and Mental Health

Smoking and Mental Health: This report examines the issue of smoking in people with mental health conditions. It argues that much of the lower life expectancy of people with mental disorders can be attributed to smoking which is overlooked and neglected by the NHS. However, there is a moral duty to provide this group with the same health interventions. 20 % of the general population are smokers compared to 40% of those with a mental disorder. The report states that there is a general acceptance of smoking of people with mental disorders by health professionals and it is often engrained in the culture of the institutions who provide care for these populations. Key recommendations include quickly identifying smokers and providing appropriate support, mental health settings to be smoke free and mandatory training for professionals in the awareness of smoking issues. CASH News