How do different smoking reduction interventions compare in terms of long-term (≥ 6 months) smoking cessation?

Abstract

Moderate‐certainty evidence shows that reduction to quit compared with abrupt quitting may result in little to no difference in smoking cessation at ≥ 6‐month follow‐up. Compared with no smoking cessation intervention, the effect of reduction to quit (by face‐to‐face sessions and/or calls) on smoking abstinence is very uncertain, although absolute numbers quitting appear to be low in both groups (on average, ≤ 6%). Low‐certainty evidence suggests that, compared with reduction to quit alone, reduction to quit plus pharmacotherapy can result in slightly more people with long‐term smoking abstinence (on average, 36 vs 21 per 1000 people). When different types of pharmacotherapy were assessed individually, varenicline showed the greatest benefit (on average, 239 vs 60 per 1000 people; moderate‐certainty evidence).