Update to evidence-based guide to smoking cessation therapies

Abstract

Despite a general decline in smoking rates in the UK, smoking prevalence remains high among young adults, pregnant women and those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. These three groups are also more likely to benefit from targeted smoking cessation interventions. Clinical contact between health professionals and patients who smoke creates an opportunity for offering cessation interventions and to reduce smoking-related harm. This article summarises evidence, based on high-quality systematic reviews, on smoking cessation interventions that could be offered by health professionals coming into contact with patients who smoke. The evidence presented here suggests that brief advice by a health professional is beneficial in achieving smoking cessation and so is intensive behavioural support alone or in combination with pharmacotherapies (nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), bupropion and varenicline). Pharmacotherapies are also effective individually in promoting smoking cessation; a combination of NRTs (oral or skin patch) can be particularly helpful in promoting cessation among highly dependent smokers. Pharmacotherapies in combination with behavioural support delivered in health care settings are more effective than when used alone and delivered in community settings, respectively.