Smoking enhances suicide risk—a significant role in the COVID-19 pandemic?

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak has severely affected the whole world. Considerable evidence suggests that tobacco smoking is associated with increased severity of COVID-19 and death in COVID-19 patients. Tobacco smoking cessation is necessary to decrease COVID-19—related hospitalizations and deaths. In this commentary, I suggest that tobacco smoking cessation is also needed to reduce suicidal behavior during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic leads to increased tobacco consumption as smokers use more tobacco to cope with pandemic related stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Multiple studies have demonstrated that tobacco smoking is associated with suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, suicide death, and a contributing factor in the pathophysiology of suicide. Smoking may increase the probability of development of post-COVID syndrome because it increases severity of COVID-19. Suicide risk may be increased in individuals with post-COVID syndrome. Smoking prevention and cessation should be a target of suicide prevention interventions during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic enhances the need to act to integrate tobacco smoking cessation in the health care as a standard of patient care.