National Council for Mental Wellbeing

Aishwarya Rajagopalan

Health Policy Intern

What do social media, the National Council, and tobacco cessation efforts have in common?

Nearly half of all deaths among people with behavioral health conditions are due to tobacco related causes. While nationwide prevalence of smoking continues to decrease (current rates stand at 18.1%), the smoking rate for people with behavioral health conditions ranges anywhere from 40% (major depressive disorder) to 98% (substance use disorders). Similarly, this population is nearly 2.6 times more likely to develop cancer than the general population, primarily due to irregular screening and delays in treatment.

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Nina Marshall

, National Council for Behavioral Health

Financing for Tobacco Cessation Services is made available through the ACA, which requires its coverage among all Essential Health Benefit-covered plans.

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Shelina Foderingham

Director, Practice Improvement, National Council for Mental Wellbeing

Did you know lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer of both men and women in the United States and is the most preventable? Smoking is one of the leading causes of lung cancer – both in smokers and individuals exposed to secondhand smoke. By quitting smoking, an individual’s risk for dying from lung cancer […]

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Rebecca Farley

Director, Policy & Advocacy, National Council for Behavioral Health

The Food and Drug Administration today proposed a broad new regulation that will extend its regulatory authority to cover e-cigarettes and other nicotine products.

Under the Tobacco Control Act, the FDA already regulates cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, and smokeless tobacco. Other nicotine products, such as electronic cigarettes, are not subject to the same restrictions. As a result, little is known about their composition and health risks, and there are few protections in place for American consumers.

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Rebecca Farley

Director, Policy & Advocacy, National Council for Behavioral Health

Although the U.S. has made strides in reducing smoking rates over the last five decades, tobacco use remains a major health risk, according to a new report by the Surgeon General. Smoking rates have dropped by half in the last 50 years since the 1964 landmark report that linked smoking with cancer. Yet, every year, nearly half a million American adults still die prematurely from diseases associated with tobacco use.

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