Treatment for the Cigarette Smoker

Abstract

Approaches to helping tobacco smokers to give up are reviewed. Motivational interventions are valuable for increasing desire and intention to quit, but have limited success in enhancing the outcome of a cessation attempt. Dependence on nicotine is the main factor underlying maintenance of smoking, and nicotine withdrawal is a major block to successful cessation. Nicotine replacement treatment improves outcomes from intensive group support and has the potential to be combined with specific behavioural interventions. But the scope for intensive treatments is limited. Brief interventions delivered by health professionals through their contacts with patients in primary care could have a much greater effect in reducing prevalence. Such interventions have been shown to be effective in one-off research studies, but need to be incorporated into everyday routines on a sustained basis.