People with existing mental health problems appear to have been more successful at quitting smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic than other smokers, according to the charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). New findings from the YouGov COVID-19 Tracker show that 10% of ex-smokers with a mental health problem stopped smoking during the pandemic compared with just 7% of ex-smokers without a mental health problem.
The survey of 2,785 ex-smokers was carried out between 15 April and 6 July 2020. Another survey of 783 smokers carried out during the same period, found smokers with a mental health condition were more likely to report they had started using an e-cigarette – 14% compared with 8% of those with no mental health problems. This is likely to improve their chances of quitting long term.
The Mental Health and Smoking Partnership – a coalition of organisations working to reduce rates of smoking among people with mental health problems – is backing a campaign to get more smokers to quit. The Today is the Day campaign, led by ASH, encourages smokers to quit immediately.
Chair of the Partnership, Professor Ann McNeill from King’s College London backed the campaign, saying: “There are so many physical health benefits to quitting smoking that the impact on mental health is often overlooked. It is great news that smokers with mental health problems are successfully quitting in greater numbers, but we must do more to reach those who have not yet quit. To ignore them is to miss the chance not only to improve their physical health but to help address the increase we’re seeing in poor mental health.”
Dr Nick Hopkinson, respiratory physician and chair of ASH, said: “We estimate that a million smokers in the UK have quit since the COVID-19 crisis hit, but we need to make sure no smokers are left behind. Health professionals who are seeing people who have mental health problems should make sure that they have the help they need to quit smoking as a way to improve their mental as well as their physical health.”
Source: Onmedica, 03 August 2020 (Paywall)
See also: ASH Press Release - Supporting smokers to quit can help tackle surge in poor mental health
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