Therapy for Cessation of Smoking

Tobacco dependence is a chronic relapsing medical illness. Unfortunately more than 1.1 billion people worldwide smoke tobacco. Tobacco consumption rate is very high in India. Providing three minutes counseling by physicians doubles the cessation rate as compared to no intervention. Nicotine replacement products (gums, transdermal patch, nasal spray, inhaler and lozenge), bupropion and varenicline used with counseling by physicians double the cessation rates at one year. There are drugs like buspirone, naltrexone, mecamylamine and silver acetate; some of which either alone or in combination with any of the above drugs may be routinely used in near future for smoking cessation in at least some specific groups of population. The most difficult problem for patients in smoking cessation is withdrawal symptoms. Counseling with continuous support from physician, family members, friends and overall from the society will help in achieving a higher rate of smoking cessation, with the final aim of making ours a tobacco smoke-free world for future generations.