A recent World Health Organisation (WHO) survey has found that 93% of countries worldwide have experienced significant disruption to mental health services.

With a rise in demand for these services, these worring findings suggest there is an urgent need for for increased mental health investments in the wake of COVID-19.

The survey, which was conducted from June to August 2020, included data from 130 countries across WHO’s six regions.

People with mental health issues are more likely to smoke compared to the general population. They are also more likely to experience severe withdrawals and are less responsive to treatment. Indeed, some people believe that quitting smoking can worsen individuals mental health difficulties.

However, research suggests that there may be biological reasons why smoking may worsen mental health through neuroadaptations, in which case smoking cessation may help to improve, rather than worsen, mental health.

Researchers from the Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM) conducted a systematic review...