GLENS FALLS — Cigarette use among adults living with a disability or experiencing mental distress is significantly higher than the average smoking rate for adults. A regional initiative is working to reverse this trend.

North Country Nicotine Consultants, a joint initiative of The Heart Network and Glens Falls Hospital, is working with behavioral health care providers across northern New York, encouraging them to speak directly with their patients about the risks of smoking and connecting them with resources to help them quit.

“The basis of our conversations with providers in behavioral healthcare settings is that a short, frank conversation about the benefits of quitting cigarettes has a huge positive impact on a person’s chances of success,” said Lauralee Tucker, program coordinator at the Glens Falls Hospital Health Promotion Center.

Smoking rates among adults nationwide and in New York state have fallen to historic lows. In spite of dropping rates, cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. According to the state Department of Health, smoking and secondhand smoke results in the deaths of over 30,000 New Yorkers annually. Some 30% of all cancer deaths and up to 90% of lung cancer deaths are caused by cigarettes.

Smoking also takes a toll on the economy. In 2023, smoking resulted in over $240 billion in healthcare spending nationally; in New York, $9.7 billion is spent annually on preventable, smoking-related healthcare costs.

It’s well-documented that marginalized people are disproportionately targeted by tobacco marketing and as a result, smoking rates are higher among racial and ethnic minorities, people who identify as LBGTQ and in low-income communities. This data tracks for people living with a disability and those experiencing mental distress. Data from the 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Survey reveals that the smoking rate for adults reporting frequent mental distress was 14.2%, compared to 9.2% for all adults. The numbers for adults living with disability are similar: the smoking rate for this population in 2023 was 14.4%.

“Smoking rates for nearly all demographics are higher in rural counties of New York state,” The Heart Network’s tobacco project coordinator Hanna Schneider said. “That makes our work even more important here in the North Country. Our conversations with behavioral health care providers stress that the one conversation with a patient is critical, but it’s also important to note that the subsequent counseling increases the odds of success by another 20%. When combined with pharmacotherapy — prescription medications that help with tobacco cessation — the chances of successfully quitting increase by another 30%. In simple terms: checking in with your behavioral health care provider on a consistent basis gives you tremendous odds of quitting smoking successfully, putting you on a path to better health and improved quality of life.”

In addition to working with providers in northern New York, North Country Nicotine Consultants works to promote free resources that can help people quit. The state Quitline offers patches, gum and lozenges, personal quit coaches and more. Visit nysmokefree.com to learn more, or call 1-866-NY-Quits.