People with schizophrenia smoke more than the general population and m
ore than other psychiatric diagnostic groups. The rate of smoking in t
he general population is 30 percent, and reported rates for people wit
h schizophrenia range between 62 percent and 81 percent. The author br
iefly reviews evidence that nicotine's augmentation of dopamine releas
e may account for the high prevalence of smoking in this group. The af
fective, cognitive, and social difficulties and the symptoms experienc
ed by many patients with schizophrenia indicate that existing smoking
cessation programs may not be appropriate for them. The author describ
es three programs developed for use with this population and reviews e
vidence of their effectiveness. Preliminary evidence suggests that tra
nsdermal nicotine patches are effective and that patients do not misus
e them. The author concludes that stopping smoking is possible for ind
ividuals with schizophrenia, especially if the treatment is specifical
ly designed for them.