Handling relapse in smoking cessation: strategies and recommendations

Abstract

Once established, smoking is a very difficult addiction to break. Many smokers persist in tobacco use for several years and typically cycle through multiple periods of remission and relapse. Smoking cessation is not a single event but a process, and relapse is an ordinary component of this process. While international guidelines place great emphasis on relapse prevention, very little can be found about managing smokers who have relapsed. This article is intended to address the challenge of managing smokers who relapse in the course of a smoking cessation program. This knowledge may lead to an improved smoking cessation outcomes.