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CDC finds high smoking rates among those with mental illness

Media Outlet: 

WHYY’s NewsWorks

According to new data, 36 percent of those living with mental illnesses smoke, compared with 21 percent overall. Mental-health professionals have not done enough to address smoking among their clients, says Mark Salzer of Temple's department of rehabilitation sciences. "Having individual providers asking people about their smoking behavior routinely, and encouraging people to stop smoking, referring people to smoking-cessation programs -- these are all things that easily could be done and are not routinely done," said Salzer.