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People with Behavioral Health Conditions Encounter Barriers to Quitting Successfully						Print
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										Most people who smoke want to quit, and more than half of them try to do so each year. Adults with mental health conditions who smoke want to quit, are able to quit, and have a better chance of quitting successfully when they have access to treatment.37
Proven treatments, such as FDA-approved medicines and behavioral counseling, make it more likely people will quit smoking successfully. People with behavioral health conditions can have challenges when trying to find and use these treatments:
In 2016, about half of mental health facilities (49%) and two-thirds of substance use treatment facilities (64%) screened patients for commercial tobacco* use.9 However, fewer than half of mental health and substance use treatment facilities in the United States offered proven treatments to help people quit smoking.9,38
Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals are less likely to talk about quitting smoking with patients who have behavioral health conditions. This may be due to misperceptions about patient’s willingness or ability to quit.39Connecting every person who wants to quit with treatment proven to help them quit for good is important for improving people’s health.Examples of strategies that states and communities can use are:no smoking messages**Provide barrier-free, widely promoted, coverage for all evidence-based cessation treatments by all types of health insurance.**For example, as of 2018, only 15 state Medicaid programs fully covered tobacco cessation (quitting) services for all traditional Medicaid enrollees.40stethoscope**Integrate clinical screening and treatment for commercial tobacco use in all health care settings and with all types of patients.**Talking to people about commercial tobacco use and quitting as a regular part of health care visits in all care settings will help make sure that all groups can get effective treatment to help them quit.41helping hands around no smoking sign**Increase access to culturally tailored cessation services.**
When it comes to health issues, one size does not fit all. Different people and communities have varying needs and make decisions in different ways. People with behavioral health conditions may need more intensive treatment, or need treatment for a longer time, to quit smoking.18no smoking symbol around buildings**Make all behavioral health care settings tobacco-free, with no exceptions.**
Tobacco-free campus policies that prohibit use of all commercial tobacco products can support people who want to quit, make tobacco-free places the norm, and stop exposure to secondhand smoke.41On campuses that are not entirely tobacco-free, management can put in place rules to prevent staff from smoking with residents or providing cigarettes as an incentive or reward.29,41no smoking messages**Share health messages that feature people with behavioral health conditions and their experiences.**Mass media campaigns are proven to increase smoking cessation, prevent tobacco use initiation, and reduce the prevalence of tobacco use.24,42 Anti-commercial tobacco messaging and mass media campaigns, like CDC’s *Tips From Former Smokers*® (Tips®), are effective in reaching many groups. *Tips*ads feature testimonials from people with behavioral health conditions. Positive reactions to *Tips* ads have been shown to lead to more quit attempts.43Fact Sheets and GuidesBest Practices User Guide: Health Equity in Tobacco Prevention and Control [5.04 MB]
What We Know: Tobacco Use and Quitting Among Individuals With Behavioral Health Conditions [PDF – 1 MB]
Promising Policies And Practices To Address Tobacco Use By Persons With Mental And Substance Use Disorders [PDF – 1 MB]
DIMENSIONS: Tobacco Free Toolkit for Healthcare Providers [PDF – 1.7 MB]
Enhance Your State’s Tobacco Cessation Efforts Among the Behavioral Health Population: A Behavioral Health Resource [PDF – 990 KB]WebsitesNational Behavioral Health Network for Tobacco and Cancer Control
Smoking Cessation Leadership Center
Million Hearts in Municipalities: Tobacco Cessation in a Mental Health Clinic in Albany County, New York [PDF – 128 KB]
National Partnership on Behavioral Health and Tobacco Use (hosted on SCLC site, which also has a link to multiple resources.)
SAMHSA Tool Kit: *Implementing Tobacco Cessation Programs in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Settings: A Quick Guide for Program Directors and Clinicians*
**“Commercial tobacco” means harmful products that are made and sold by tobacco companies. It does not include “traditional tobacco” used by Indigenous groups for religious or ceremonial purposes*.Top of Page
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							Last Reviewed:  June 27, 2022						Source: 	Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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