An explanation at last

From the ABC:

Nearly 40pc of smokers mentally ill: SANE

A mental health lobby group is calling for more support to help people with mental illnesses quit smoking.

SANE Australia says people with mental illnesses make up nearly 40 per cent of all smokers and cost taxpayers $33 billion a year in health care, including treatment for cancer and heart disease.

SANE's executive director Barbara Hocking says governments and anti-smoking campaigns have overlooked the mentally ill.

She says they need urgent support services and equitable funding.

"If we know that a lot of money is contributed by mental illness to government by way of taxes, etc, [we want to know] that some of that is returned to those who wish to quit smoking," she said.

"We want to also make sure that there's subsidised nicotine replacement therapies."

Ms Hocking says mentally ill people are often treated differently, and this is another example.

"We want equal services and support for people with a mental illness who smoke as there are for the people in the general community who smoke," she said.

"Sometimes people are not aware that this is such a major issue.

"One of the major things about this report is we want to draw attention to governments and everyone else involved that yes, this is a major issue for people with mental illness.

"Yes, this is costing them dearly and yes, many people want to quit. And we really have to make sure that the services and support are there to help them quit."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/11/2115016.htm