Public Health England (PHE), have published guidance on the importance of smoking cessation among mental health patients. According to PHE’s report people with poor mental health die, on average, 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population and smoking is the biggest cause of this life expectancy gap. 

With all of the well documented negative effects smoking has on its users the NHS’s long-term plan is to offer NHS funded tobacco treatment services to all in-patients, pregnant women and high risk out-patients. This will include the use of e-cigarettes.