Vital Signs: Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults Aged greater than or equal to 18 Years with Mental Illness - United States, 2009-2011

Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United States. Despite overall declines in cigarette smoking, a high prevalence of smoking persists among certain subpopulations, including persons with mental illness. Combined data from the 2009-2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were used to calculate national and state estimates of cigarette smoking among adults aged greater than or equal to 18 years who had any mental illness (AMI), defined as having a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, excluding developmental and substance use disorders, in the past 12 months. During 2009-2011, an annual average of 19.9% of adults aged greater than or equal to 18 years had AMI; among these persons, 36.1% were current smokers, compared with 21.4% among adults with no mental illness. Smoking prevalence among those with AMI was highest among men, adults aged