Why Focus on Tobacco Dependence Treatment in the Behavioral Health Sector?
In the U.S., approximately one in four adults have some form of mental illness or substance use disorder yet they consume nearly 40% of all cigarettes smoked by adults. Twice as many Kansas adults who are current smokers experienced 14 or more days of poor mental health in the 30 days prior to being surveyed (30.2%) compared to nonsmokers (14.3%).1 Research has shown that those with behavioral health conditions who are current smokers are four times more likely to have a premature death than non-smokers.2 This is a preventable health disparity in our state and country.
Substance abuse and mental health treatment facilities in Kansas have opportunities to improve tobacco dependence treatment interventions and policies to help more Kansans quit tobacco. Kansas substance abuse treatment organizations lag behind the national averages. See figures in the Data tab.