Attn Smokers...

Mentally ill more likely to smoke

Questions raised on link's cause


MSNBC staff and wire reports

Nov. 21 — People with diagnosable mental illness account for nearly 45 percent of the total cigarette market in the United States, estimates a report from Harvard Medical School.

THE STUDY, published in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association, said that could be because the mentally ill are more vulnerable to tobacco advertising or nicotine addiction.
“We found that persons with mental illness are about twice as likely to smoke as other persons, a finding consistent with previous studies,” said the Harvard report.

The findings were based on data from 4,411 people aged 15 to 54 questioned in a congressionally mandated study of the prevalence of U.S. psychiatric disorders conducted in 1991 and 1992. The report said it was the most recent national data source available on mental illness and smoking.

The survey found that people with a mental disorder had consumed approximately 44.3 percent of all the cigarettes smoked by the nationally representative sample in the previous 30 days.

“Extrapolating our results to the U.S. population, we estimate that persons with a diagnosable mental disorder ... consume nearly half of all cigarettes smoked in the United States,” the report said. “Our findings emphasize the importance of focusing smoking prevention and cessation efforts on the mentally ill.”

The study defined mental illness broadly — from major depression, bipolar disorder and panic disorder to alcohol abuse, drug dependence and antisocial personality, and covering such problems as schizophrenia and delusional disorders.

“Perhaps mental illness causes smoking by making people more vulnerable to tobacco advertising or nicotine addiction,” said Karen Lasser, lead author of the study. “However, other studies have called the direction of causality into question, suggesting that smoking may cause mental illness and our findings are certainly compatible with that as well.”

OTHER STUDIES
A growing body of research is implicating cigarette use as a cause of mental or emotional problems. A study in last month’s Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, reported that smoking may cause depression in teen-agers. The researchers found that teens who smoked were about four times more likely to develop symptoms of depression than those who did not light up. And a study published earlier this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that teen smokers were prone to anxiety disorders, including panic attacks and agoraphobia (fear of going outside) during early adulthood. The researchers of both studies theorize that nicotine may affect the central nervous system.

Additionally, a recent study in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that smoking preceded the onset of schizophrenia in the majority of people with schizophrenia who smoked.

The Harvard report said that about a third of smokers with mental illness were able to quit and if they were also abstaining from drugs and alcohol they had a cessation rate comparable to smokers without mental illness — a finding that should encourage them to try to stop.

I think it is a misconception that lung cancer caused by smoking is due to a large number of cigarettes adding up over time. Regardless of how much you smoke, in the end it's just one puff that causes it all. Of course the more you smoke the greater the chances, but in the end it is not a matter of individual cigarettes accumulating.

It's just like the lottery. If you buy 1000 tickets you have a greater chance of winning than just buying one, but in the end it is just one ticket that wins it all (not 1000 added together).

There are however other smoking related diseases which can only be caused by a great amount of smoking.

I think this is a touchy subject. I personally think you cannot FORCE it on smokers and lecture them because it makes them go back and do it even more.

I think things affect different people in different ways. A good example is a lady smoking all her life and she lived to 110 however a celebrity dies of lung cancer and he never touched a ciggarete or cigar in his life. It was through light passive smoking instead . This is why I agree with no smoking laws in some public places, particulury if there are kids allowed. i think it's unfair on them. We all know the risks involved. Youve got to want to give it up yourself. Cold turkey (though I'd prefer cold greek-armenian) suits many people.
The downside to this is, by the time you are ready is it too late? Mady have become terminally ill by that time.

I was surprised that in San Fransisco there is no smoking in the clubs. Intresting.

Over in Toronto, smoking is permitted just about anywhere. I was not used to the clean air.

Americans just have this crazy-purtian thing about smoking, dont they.

Hey Kazza - Where are you from?

The funny thing is that Salt Lake City is considered to be one of the most conservative cities in the United States but we can smoke anywhere..clubs,bars,restaurants. The only exception is the Mormon Temple Square. I don't hang around there so it works fine for me.

They do have a law/ordinance where you can't smoke within, I think, 25 feet of the entrance to certain buildings.

Edgar, I was just in Salt Lake last month. Great city. I like traveling there. I always stay right across from the Temple at this nice little inn. This time was really cool, 'cause I got to check out a Jazz game.

Here is Pope's standpoint:

"Non-smokers will die with better lungs!"

Youre a bit of a joker, arent you Gamavor?

I could see you doing stand up comedy!

Let me give a religious spin on it.

The New Testament says "Your body is the temple of God." Would you smoke or pump smoke in the temple of God?

The "Temple Of God" point also rules out alot of good junk food. Bacon for one.

I am there with you, Mike. No more bacon.
Also, no more Harut or Tata, or Tatul, etc.

I love bacon! I have bacon once a week. Forgive me I have sinned!

Is that all? Then you should be a saint...

Well what can I say... Thanks !

What can a man do without smoking,drinking or bacons?If it's sin there can't be any in heaven........

LOL! My father tells me,,,

Never trust a man who doesn't smoke, drink, or gamble...

Had my grandfather told my mom that, I wouldn't be here today!

I think all three are fine in moderation. There's nothing like smoking a cigar while drunk in Las Vegas!

LOL.....Lisa,
Here's a quote from my mom to my sisters,I can't stop laughing when i remember :
''Don't follow handsome man,they are either gay or a pimp''