05/15/2020 01:42:22 PMStudies have shown that people smoke more following natural disasters. As COVID-19 disrupts daily life and elevates stress, a similar uptick in smoking is likely to occur, says Lorraine Reitzel, a professor of health at the University of Houston College of Education. Worried about the troubling trend, Reitzel and her research team have shifted to focus on helping people from vulnerable populations quit smoking or vaping even during a pandemic. She hopes their work can serve as a national model for providing tobacco cessation support during times of crisis.