There is evidence that helping smokers to stop smoking can be effective and highly cost-effective.

The basic essentials are:

• ASK about tobacco smoking at every opportunity
• ADVISE all smokers to stop smoking
• ASSIST all smokers to stop smoking
• ARRANGE follow up

There is evidence that even brief intervention (2-3 minutes) has a worthwhile effectiveness.

Useful features of intervention are to:

• set a date to stop completely
• review previous attempts to stop smoking - and what helped/hindered
• plan ahead - identify potential problems and strategies to cope
• plan how to handle alcohol drinking situations
• try smoking cessation treatment e.g. nicotine replacement therapy, buproprion

Reference:

1. British Heart Foundation, Factfile 6/99.