Abstract
More than four decades have elapsed since the publication of the first U.S. Surgeon General’s report on smoking and health1; yet, more than 1 in 5 adult Americans continue to smoke,2 and nearly 440,000 Americans die annually due to tobacco-related disease.3 The list of proven methods for treating tobacco use and dependence continues to lengthen, yet these methods are largely underutilized by all segments of the population. Most tobacco users attempt to quit without assistance, and more than 95% of unassisted attempts at quitting result in relapse.4 Although the literature is inconclusive regarding the pharmacist’s effectiveness in helping patients quit,5 meta-analyses indicate that health care providers in general have a proven, positive effect on patients’ ability to quit.6,7 The vast majority of pharmacists cite interest in assisting patients with quitting8; however, few pharmacists routinely engage in tobacco-cessation counseling activities. Only 5–7% of patients report that a pharmacist has ever inquired about their tobacco use.9,10 Similarly, pharmacists themselves report low levels of participation in tobacco-cessation activities in clinical practice.8,11,–14 We, as a profession, must do better in addressing the primary known preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States (Table 11).15
Published Version
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