The exposure of interest was smoking. Based on smoking habits, the participants were classified as non-smokers (never smoked or smoked less than 100 cigarettes), ex-smokers (smoked at least 100 cigarettes, but did not smoke in the past 30 days), or current smokers (smoked at least 100 cigarettes and smoked in the past 30 days [14]. We included the studies that reported cigarette habits, according to these categories or at least compatible with them. We excluded studies that did not distinguish between current smokers and former smokers (so called ever smokers), or assessed the association between suicide and age of initiation of smoking rather than a smoking habit itself, or compared the risk of suicide in high smokers versus low smokers, see S1 Excluded Studies With Reasons.
