Study Shows Decrease in Smoking Among Adults with Depression and Substance Use Disorders

Nov.25.2022
Study Shows Decrease in Smoking Among Adults with Depression and Substance Use Disorders
Study shows smoking rates among US adults with depression or substance use disorder have decreased, but more work needs to be done to ensure their tobacco use continues to decline.

A study entitled "Smoking trends among US adults with severe depression or substance use disorders from 2006 to 2019" is reassuring for public health experts who have long been concerned about the high smoking rates among people with mental health disorders.


Furthermore, these individuals are more likely to find it difficult to quit smoking. Therefore, they benefit greatly from additional support in quitting smoking and obtaining safer alternatives, which at least reduces their chances of developing smoking-related diseases.


A study by researchers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), both under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States, suggests that this population may benefit from tobacco use prevention and cessation efforts, which have resulted in significant reductions in smoking rates among the general population.


However, researchers emphasized that disparities still exist and need to be addressed. "These declines represent a public health success story," said Wilson Compton, MD, NIDA deputy director and senior author of the study. "But there is much work to be done to ensure that tobacco use continues to decline, particularly among those with substance use disorders, depression or other mental illnesses. It is critical that healthcare providers promptly address all health issues that patients experience, not just their depression or substance use disorder. This requires integrating smoking cessation therapy into existing behavioral health therapies. The result will be longer, healthier lives for everyone.


Individuals with mental health disorders are being excluded from research. A recent study titled "The inequity of clinical trials testing smoking cessation medication: excluding smokers with mental health disorders" sought to examine the practice and reasoning behind excluding smokers with mental health disorders from such trials.


A research team analyzed the Cochrane systematic review database up to September 2020 to obtain evaluations on the use of drug therapy for smoking cessation. "We included 279 randomized controlled trials from 13 Cochrane reviews. Across all studies, 51 (18.3%) explicitly excluded participants with any mental health disorder (MHD), 152 (54.5%) conditionally excluded based on certain MHD criteria, and 76 (27.2%) did not provide sufficient information to determine inclusion or exclusion. The study found that, compared to studies on nicotine replacement therapy, research on antidepressant drugs for smoking cessation was 3.33 times more likely to conditionally exclude MHD smokers (95% CI 1.38 to 8.01, p=0.007)," the researchers reported.


In fact, their conclusion was that there wasn't enough representation of smokers with MHD (Mental Health Disorders) in clinical trials examining the safety and effectiveness of smoking cessation drugs, but there wasn't enough data collected to explain why. The study emphasized the importance of promoting the participation of this minority group in trials.


Announcement:


This article is compiled from third-party information and is intended only for industry exchange and learning purposes.


This article does not represent the views of 2FIRSTS, and 2FIRSTS is not able to confirm the authenticity and accuracy of the article's content. The compilation of this article is solely for the purpose of industry-related communication and research.


Due to limitations in our translation ability, this article may not express the same meaning as the original. Therefore, please refer to the original article for accurate information.


2FIRSTS fully aligns with the Chinese government on any domestic, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and foreign-related discussions and positions.


The copyright for the compiled information belongs to the original media and authors. If there is any infringement, please contact us for removal.



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

Special Report|AIR H1 Revenue Rises 3.7% as Shisha Volumes Fall 9%, Testing Its Shift Beyond Traditional Hookah
Special Report|AIR H1 Revenue Rises 3.7% as Shisha Volumes Fall 9%, Testing Its Shift Beyond Traditional Hookah
AIR’s first half-year results as a listed company offer a new test of how far a traditional hookah business can transform. H1 2026 revenue rose 3.7%, even as Flavored Shisha Molasses shipments fell 9%, with pricing and mix supporting growth. Traditional shisha still generates almost all revenue, while OOKA, Crown Switch, Greentank and U.S. regulatory spending point to accelerating diversification. The next test is whether those investments can become a second business of meaningful scale and profitability.
Capital Markets
Aug.21
Iowa Enforces Vape Registry Law as Retailers Warn Product Limits Could Increase Store Pressure
Iowa Enforces Vape Registry Law as Retailers Warn Product Limits Could Increase Store Pressure
Iowa has begun enforcing its vape registry law, requiring vape products to be registered before they can be legally sold in the state. The move follows a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit to lift an injunction that had blocked enforcement. Retailers have warned that tighter product availability rules could increase pressure on vape shops. One Iowa retailer said that if only a limited number of products remain available, many stores could face significant business challenges.
Aug.06
Arizona Turns to a 50% Retail Vape Tax as Tobacco Tax Revenue Falls 47% From 2008
Arizona Turns to a 50% Retail Vape Tax as Tobacco Tax Revenue Falls 47% From 2008
Arizona's First Things First is pushing for an excise tax equal to 50% of the retail price of vaping products, estimating that the measure could generate about $100 million annually. The agency says its tobacco-tax revenue has fallen 47% from 2008 levels. Arizona has attempted to broaden its nicotine tax base in each of the past two years: a 2025 bill proposed a 50% wholesale-price tax, while a 2026 measure shifted to a 50% retail-price tax covering alternative nicotine products and vapor products. Separately, the state enacted HB 4001 this year to establish a new licensing and sales framework for alternative nicotine products.
Sep.21
Juul Sublicense Reshapes Vuse Alto Patent Bill as Court Ends R.J. Reynolds’ 5.25% Royalty Obligation to Altria
Juul Sublicense Reshapes Vuse Alto Patent Bill as Court Ends R.J. Reynolds’ 5.25% Royalty Obligation to Altria
According to Law360 on August 31, 2026, a federal judge in North Carolina ruled that a patent sublicense between R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. and Juul Labs Inc. relieves Reynolds of its obligation to continue paying royalties to Altria Client Services LLC over Vuse Alto. A jury had previously found that Vuse Alto infringed three Altria patents and awarded approximately $95.2 million in past damages, after which Reynolds was ordered to pay an ongoing royalty equal to 5.25% of positive net sales. The new ruling finds that a valid sublicense can eliminate future infringement, potentially ending what Altria described as hundreds of millions of dollars in future royalties.
Sep.01
2Firsts Hosts U.S. Market Mid-Year Briefing: Companies Need to Reassess Product and Market-Access Strategies
2Firsts Hosts U.S. Market Mid-Year Briefing: Companies Need to Reassess Product and Market-Access Strategies
2Firsts held its 2026 U.S. Market Compliance and Development Mid-Year Briefing in Shenzhen, China, on July 28. The discussion examined how state-level requirements, proposed foreign-establishment registration rules and expanding supply-chain responsibilities are changing product and investment decisions in the U.S. tobacco and nicotine market.
Jul.29
From Product Innovation to Integrated Solutions: NEXTECH Expands Its Global Heated Tobacco Solutions
From Product Innovation to Integrated Solutions: NEXTECH Expands Its Global Heated Tobacco Solutions
NEXTECH launched its NEXE Pro circumferential-heating tobacco stick globally at InterTabac 2026, as the company expands from product innovation into broader heated tobacco solutions. Amid intensifying competition across global HTP markets, NEXTECH is strengthening its R&D, manufacturing and pre-launch support capabilities to serve different types of business customers.
Industry Insight
Sep.15