[Medical help for smorking cessation: the pneumologist's point of view]

Abstract

Fighting against tobacco requires two main strategies: first, political action aims at preventing smoking beginning and to change the falsely promoted positive social image of smoking behaviour; second, the individual action of each practitioner is indeed very efficient to increase the cohort of ex-smokers. We have at our disposal, powerful, well codified and effective therapies to help patients to quit smoking. Their use ought to be focused on the following aims: detection of smokers, evaluation of motivation to quit and dependency, prescription of nicotine substitutes or bupropion, psychological support, patient follow-up and prevention of smoking relapse. In patients with COPD, smoking cessation is the only proven and effective intervention to stop disease progression and decrease COPD mortality.