Scimitar SA

SCIMITAR-SA (Smoking Cessation Intervention for Severe Mental Illness – South Asia) is a collaborative research programme aimed at adapting and evaluating a behavioural support intervention to help people with severe mental illness (SMI) stop smoking in South Asia. Building on evidence from the successful SCIMITAR+ trial in the UK, SCIMITAR-SA focuses on culturally appropriate strategies to reduce tobacco use—a major contributor to early mortality among people with SMI. People with SMI are disproportionately affected by tobacco use, facing higher health risks and lower access to cessation support. In Pakistan and Bangladesh, where mental health services are often limited and smoking rates remain high, the need for effective, tailored interventions is urgent. SCIMITAR-SA addresses this gap by co-designing and piloting a specialist smoking cessation service that is feasible and acceptable within routine mental healthcare settings. Through strong partnerships with local mental health providers, service users, and researchers, the project aims to build capacity, improve clinical outcomes, and inform national tobacco control policies. SCIMITAR-SA is part of the broader Centre for IMPACT South Asia, which seeks to reduce premature mortality among people with SMI through high-quality research and sustainable implementation.