Background. Epidemiological and experimental models have been applied to describe the disproportionately high prevalence of tobacco use in patients with mental illness. This observed association has become a dire public health concern. The main objective of the present study was to examine the provision of tobacco treatment strategies in a community teaching hospital serving a predominantly underserved African American population. Methods. The study was designed as a retrospective review of eight hundred and thirty patients admitted to the inpatient psychiatric units. Results. 52.2% of the entire cohort described themselves as current smokers. Gender, primary psychiatric diagnosis, and urine toxicology showed significant differences in the tobacco smoking and nontobacco smoking groups (P