Smoking Rates Still High Among Mentally Ill

That is the title of this article I am writing about. "Despite a major decline in cigarette smoking in the general adult population, smoking rates in people with mental illness have remained the same for a decade, according to new research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
In fact, one-third of current adult smokers suffer from some type of mental illness, and so far, anti-smoking efforts have not seemed to affect this particular population.  'Individuals with mental illness represent approximately one-third of the adult smokers in the U.S., and we need to develop alternative tobacco control strategies, including targeted treatments for this vulnerable population,' said Marc L. Steinberg, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and lead author of the study." I know from reading a lot of them have a hard time quitting.  I quit seventeen years ago.  I did so my granddaughter could come and visit in a smoke free house. My ex was supposed to quit but I am the one that ended up quitting it took me  a month with welbutrin there were so many side effects I quit in a month.
The article goes on to say: "'Tobacco control has been relatively successful in helping some groups quit smoking, but the remaining smokers may be the ones who are the hardest to treat. We need to address the health disparities of the remaining smokers, such as those with lower socioeconomic status and mental health problems.'  For the study, researchers analyzed data of New Jersey residents who had been surveyed by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. In this system, data was collected from telephone surveys independently conducted in all 50 states that compiled chronic health information from adults aged 18 and older and then pooled by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The findings show that during the 10-year period examined by researchers at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, smoking prevalence was greater in people suffering with behavioral health conditions, compared to persons with better mental health.'" I hear talk that the new quitting is using e-cigarettes.  To me that is not quitting.  I remember when I had to give up coffee because it made my symptoms come through.  The  first thing my counselor asked it is what did you replace it with and my answer was water. I can now drink coffee now that I am on a different medication.
The article ends with: "'Our research found that while smoking rates have been going down in New Jersey adults without mental health problems, they have remained steady for those with mental health problems,' said Steinberg.  'This suggests that tobacco control strategies are not reaching those with poor mental health, or, if they are, their messages are not translating into successful cessation.'
Steinberg and his colleagues also examined quit attempts by current smokers. They found that those with poor mental health tried to quit just as often as those who were mentally healthy, but tended to relapse and start smoking again.  “Evidence shows that there has been a significant decrease in smoking in adults, and our data indicates that people with mental illness attempt to quit smoking at the same rate as those without mental illness, yet they are not as successful,” said Steinberg."I had to quit the side effects were to much I quit in a month because I did not want to take anymore of that welbutrin. I had a friend who gave me a list of the side effects and I had everyone on that list. I did not even think about smoking I was wondering what would happen next.  Although I am glad that I quit the first time I tried to quit.