So...Joe Camel Was Really Depressed?
Researchers from the NCHS, who published their findings on Wednesday, found that adult Americans who were clinically depressed were more likely to be smokers than those who were not, regardless of gender or age.
The study, entitled "Depression and Smoking in the U.S. Household Population Aged 20 and Over, 2005-2008," also found that a higher percentage of severely depressed adults were smokers than mildly depressed adults, demonstrating that as the severity of the condition increases, so too did the propensity to smoke.
Furthermore, people over the age of 20 who were depressed were more likely to be heavy smokers and less likely to quit than those who had not been diagnosed with the disorder, the study says.
Back in the day when I was around more smokers (most of them have either quit or died by now) the prevailing reason for smoking was to "calm my nerves." I wouldn't classify depressed people as jittery types. Suicidal people? Maybe. But not depressed people.
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