A recent survey conducted by Sarah Jackson and colleagues from University College London and King’s College London branches of the SPECTRUM Consortium aimed to explore the relationship between mental health and smoking cessation aids. Despite global declines in cigarette smoking, individuals with mental health conditions are still more likely to smoke and smoke heavily. This led the researchers to investigate whether the effectiveness of smoking cessation aids varied based on mental health history. However, their findings, published in PLOS Mental Health, revealed that smoking cessation aids are equally effective for individuals with and without mental health conditions.
The survey included over 5,000 regular smokers who had attempted to quit in the past year, with 45 percent reporting a mental health diagnosis. Not surprisingly, those with mental health conditions reported higher levels of addiction to cigarettes.
Participants used a variety of methods to aid in their quit attempts, with non-combustible nicotine products being the most popular choice. Vaping products were utilized by 39 percent of those with mental health conditions and 31 percent of those without. Other over-the-counter nicotine replacements, like lozenges and patches, were also commonly used. Less than 5 percent of participants reported using prescription medications or behavioral interventions.
Individuals with mental health conditions were more inclined to opt for vaping products, prescription nicotine replacements, and self-help websites. However, the researchers confirmed that mental health status did not impact the effectiveness of these aids or any others.
Across all participants, the most effective smoking cessation aids were vaping, the drug varenicline, and heated tobacco products. Heated tobacco products, which heat tobacco leaves without burning them, are a novel approach to smoking cessation. This study is the first to evaluate their real-world effectiveness. The researchers did not find clear benefits of other smoking cessation aids.
These findings have important implications for smokers and healthcare providers when selecting quit smoking methods. The researchers emphasize, “We found no evidence to suggest that any method of stopping smoking was more or less effective for people with a history of mental health conditions. Our findings should provide reassurance to individuals with mental health conditions looking to quit smoking that their condition should not impact their choice of cessation aid.”
