Mental health–care providers and facilities have traditionally been reluctant to address tobacco use in their patients (4,17) because of several factors. First, mental health–care providers have been concerned that smoking cessation could interfere with their patients’ treatment (4,17). Some mental health facilities also have used smoking privileges as a reward (4,17). Finally, some mental health–care providers believe that their patients who smoke do not want to or cannot quit (4,17). However, evidence from recent research has suggested that these concerns largely are unfounded; persons with AMI who smoke are as interested in quitting as other smokers, are able to quit successfully, and benefit from evidence-based cessation treatments, although intensive and longer treatment sometimes is required (4,17).
