Intensive Counseling of Smokers for Nicotine Addiction Cessation and Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation

Smoking is a chronic disease with a recurring character, one of the oldest habits on the globe but also a problem of modern society, which kills more than 8 million people each year. More than 50% of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use, while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke⁽¹⁾. Nicotine addiction must be seen as a chronic disease, with numerous periods of relapse and remission, and is mandatory that the clinician must treat it properly.

Smoking cessation is of critical importance to public health, various studies indicate that smoking is a major risk factor for a variety of serious health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The risk of developing these conditions is directly related to the amount and the duration of smoking and is higher for those who start smoking at a younger age. While counseling is likely to be successful in helping individuals quit smoking, there are also other methods to reach the goal, including medication, nicotine replacement therapy, and lifestyle changes. However, these methods may not be as effective as counseling in helping individuals quit smoking. Otherwise, other methods, such as reducing the amount of smoking or switching to a less harmful form of tobacco, may reduce the risk of developing some of the conditions associated with smoking, but they do not reduce the risk to the same level as quitting smoking.