Smoking Cessation Interventions

Abstract

In the United States, 1 in 5 adults uses tobacco products. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States despite its known health effects. Although nearly one-half of people who smoke try to quit each year, only up to 1 in 20 who quit without support achieve abstinence for at least six months. All patients, including school-aged children and adolescents, should be asked if they smoke and offered evidence-based treatments for smoking cessation. Use of the 5 A's framework (ask, advise, assess, assist, arrange) can help clinicians promote smoking cessation. Clinical studies have demonstrated that combining pharmacotherapy with effective behavior strategies is significantly more effective than either approach alone. Pharmacotherapies approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for smoking cessation include nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, and varenicline. Extended use (greater than 12 weeks) of a controller therapy (varenicline, bupropion, or nicotine patch) is associated with significantly higher sustained quit rates and lower relapse rates than standard use (six to 12 weeks). e-Cigarettes are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for smoking cessation, and evidence supporting their benefit is inconclusive. Lung cancer screening is recommended for adults 50 to 80 years of age who have a 20-pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Lung cancer screening should be combined with smoking cessation tools and treatment.