How to help patients stop smoking

Preview

With the introduction of nicotine gum as a pharmacologic substitute source of nicotine, the clinician now has a tangible tool to aid the addicted cigarette smoker who wants to quit. However, without a physician's support and guidance, few patients achieve long-term abstinence with gum therapy alone. In this article, Drs Werther and Dayal describe a smoking cessation program that is easily implemented in a primary care practice and that can serve as a basic structure within which to incorporate individual modifications.