Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

Schizophrenia, Nicotine and Smoking - Special Report

We've just published our special report on Schizophrenia, Nicotine and Smoking. In the report we offer what we hope is a practical guide to help people reduce the health & financial burdens of cigarette addiction.

The report consists of a two-page summary (see following excerpt):

Research during the past decade has revealed that nicotine is an especially addictive substance for people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Approximately 85% of people who have schizophrenia are also heavy cigarette smokers ( approximately 70% of people with bipolar disorder); smoking two to three times as much as an average smoker. In fact it has been estimated that 44% of all cigarettes used in the US are smoked by the mentally ill. The negative effects of smoking are clear - cigarette smoking causes 30% of deaths between the ages of 35 and 70, noted the Harvard Mental Health Letter (May, 2005). Additionally, "in patients with schizophrenia, cigarette smoking is probably the single most important risk factor for developing pulmonary disease, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer." stated Clinical Psychiatry journal (April, 2005).

Increasingly, research is suggesting that people with brain disorders smoke at a higher rate because nicotine provides them some benefit by reducing some of the cognitive dysfunction that is a common symptom. In fact academic researchers as well as drug and biotech companies are now working to identify and develop nicotine-like drugs that they hope will provide similar (but improved) benefits, without any of the addiction and health destroying side effects that cigarette smoking so often brings.

Research clearly demonstrates that people who smoke cigarettes should stop smoking immediately. Cigarettes are generally described by researchers as the most health-damaging of all nicotine and tobacco products because of the way the smoke (with over 3,000 different chemicals) delivers toxins into the body. If the person doesn't want to quit nicotine entirely they should at minimum use the less harmful nicotine/tobacco products identified below. Experts are estimating the these low-toxin nicotine products will likely help reduce premature death risks by 90% or more.

Read the Full Summary of Schizophrenia and Smoking Report

The full 20 page report can be found here:

Full Report on Schizophrenia and Smoking