RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOBACCO DEPENDENCE AND SCHIZOPHRENIA

Abstract

Tobacco dependence in schizophrenia patients is a problem that got more concern, with
few treatment options. Peoples with schizophrenia have a prevalence rate of cigarette
smoking two until four times higher than the general population. Consequently, patients
also have a lower smoking quit rate than the general population. Tobacco dependence in
this population may complicate symptoms and also has adverse physiological effects on
patients. Besides that, patients with schizophrenia tend to smoke more heavily than
smokers in general population. This can increased smoking-related morbidity and
mortality and impose a significant financial burden on patients. Recent studies
demonstrated that patients with schizophrenia smoke before the onset of the illness and
also start smoking earlier than the average population. Patients become psychotic earlier
than patients who do not smoke, and require higher dose of anti-psychotic medications.