People With Behavioral Health Conditions (Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders) and Commercial Tobacco: Health Disparities and Ways to Advance Health Equity

At a glance

  • Everyone deserves a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This is called health equity.
  • Achieving health equity means addressing systemwide problems, unfair practices, and unjust conditions that have a negative impact on the health of specific groups.
four images of smiling asian, native hawaiian, and pacific islander people showing health equity and tobacco

Overview

In order to achieve health equity, we work to reduce health disparities. Health disparities are differences in health outcomes that are closely linked with social, economic, and environmental factors that affect people with behavioral health conditions. To improve health equity, we must consider the role of commercial tobacco.A

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Four icons of a person, one green and three blue
People with Behavioral Health Conditions Experience a Health Burden From Commercial Tobacco
Commercial tobacco gets in the way of achieving health equity.
Patient and therapist in a counseling session
Unfair and Unjust Practices and Conditions Harm People With Behavioral Health Conditions and Drive Health Disparities
Unfair and unjust practices related to commercial tobacco harm people.
Man sitting in a chair, looking out the window in contemplation
Commercial Tobacco Product Use and Behavioral Health Conditions Can Affect Each Other
People who smoke often use other substances or have other substance use disorders.
Young woman meditating at her desk
People With Behavioral Health Conditions Encounter Barriers to Quitting Successfully
There are barriers to finding and using proven treatments that help people quit smoking.
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Content Source:
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Office on Smoking and Health
  1. "Commercial tobacco" means harmful products that are made and sold by tobacco companies. It does not include "traditional tobacco" used by Indigenous groups for religious or ceremonial purposes.