Smoking by people with mental illness and benefits of smoke-free mental health services†

Smoking is the largest single cause of preventable illness in the UK. Those with mental health problems smoke significantly more and are therefore at greater risk. The new Health Act (2006) will require mental health facilities in England to be completely smoke-free by 1st July 2008. This article reviews the current literature regarding how smoking affects both the physical and mental well-being of people with mental health problems. It also considers the effects of smoke-free policy in mental health settings. Jonathan Campion is a specialist psychiatry registrar on the St George’s Psychiatry Training Scheme in London (Springfield Hospital, 61 Glenburnie Road, London SW17 7DJ, UK. Email: [email protected]). Areas of interest and research include public mental health, addiction, transcultural psychiatry and mental health service provision in low-income countries. Ken Checinski is a senior lecturer in addictive behaviour at St George’s, University of London, and consultant psychiatrist with the Respond NHS substance misuse service in Surrey. Research and clinical interests include smoking and mental health, dual diagnosis, post-traumatic stress and public health education. Jo Nurse is national lead for public mental health and well-being at the Department of Health, England. She works as a consultant in public health in a regional public health group. Areas of interest and experience include health promotion, sexual health, healthy prison settings, mental well-being, substance misuse, violence and abuse. Ann McNeill is Chair of Health Policy and Promotion in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Nottingham. Her main research and policy interests cover nicotine and tobacco product regulation, smoking and mental health issues, smoking cessation and harm reduction, and the development of dependence on smoking.