Can I quit Smoking?

Can I quit Smoking?

Tobacco use leads to serious health problems including tobacco dependence which often requires repeated treatments.

Smoking increases the risk of different forms of cancer, including the lung cancer. Assisting patients with smoking cessation is paramount important.

The recommended 5 A’s approach are, Ask about smoking, Advise to quit, Assess willingness to quit, Assist in quitting, Arrange for follow-up and support and assessing for nicotine dependence.

Behavioural interventions in smoking cessation include in-person counselling, telephone counselling, and self-help materials in addition to Pharmacotherapy interventions. Combining behavioural therapy and pharmacotherapy can increase smoking cessation rates. In view of the effectiveness of various smoking cessation measures, it is important to include smoking cessation advice.

Clinician and patient involvement increases the success of quitting from smoking. Combination of behavioural therapy and pharmacotherapy are most effective. Successful smoking cessation programme should also include relapse prevention measures. Special attention is required in those patients who have difficulty in quitting and patients who are not yet ready to quit. Individuals with cancer, psychiatric illness and cardiovascular diseases etc require special consideration.