Suicide deaths twice as high among smokers
A June study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health reviewed smoker, ex-smoker and never-smoker suicide risks from 20 studies involving a total of 2,457,864 participants.
“We collected the evidence available to date from prospective studies that explored the relationship between smoking and suicidal behaviour, considering four dimensions: ideation, plans, attempts, and deaths by suicide."
"The results we obtained revealed that smokers presented almost double the risk for all these behaviours in every population type (including those with mental illnesses) and country considered,” wrote the authors.
They found that compared to never smokers, current female smokers had a higher risk of of taking their life (x 2.51) than current male smokers (x2.06).
Shockingly, the study cites research indicating that for each death by suicide there are more than 20 attempted suicides.
While the authors conclude that "smoking is an environmental risk factor for suicide, regardless of prior psychiatric or medical diagnoses or treatments," they note that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that smoking causes suicide. But why?
They suggest that smoking likely attracts people with a lower perception of danger, greater impulsivity, and a greater predisposition to take actions that endanger their life.
Now for the good news. The study found that, while still substantial, the risk of suicidal ideation, making plans, attempts, and deaths by suicide were significantly lower in ex-smokers than smokers.
The study's bottom line? “The relationship between tobacco use and the risk of death by suicide was robust.”
Speaking to health care providers, the authors contend that “the systematic evaluation of tobacco use should be included in every patient assessment (particularly in individuals at an apparent risk of suicide) and the treatment of smoking ought to be part of suicide prevention strategies."
Study Citation
Echeverria, I.; Cotaina, M.; Jovani, A.; Mora, R.; Haro, G.; Benito, A. Proposal for the Inclusion of Tobacco Use in Suicide Risk Scales: Results of a Meta-Analysis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 6103. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18116103
