Smoking Cessation Interventions

Smoking Cessation Interventions; Pharmacological Aids

Silver acetate Silver acetate produces an unpleasant taste when combined with cigarettes, acts as an aversive therapy. It is sold in the form of gum, lozenge and spray. There is little evidence for a specific effect of silver acetate in promoting smoking cessation ⁽²⁵⁾. Other interventions Acupuncture; is promoted for a range of health related issues and problems, including smoking cessation. The most commonly cited rationale for use of acupuncture in smoking cessation is that it relieves the discomfort of nicotine withdrawal ⁽¹⁾. There is no evidence of a specific effect of acupuncture in smoking cessation other than as a placebo effect as there was no difference in cessation rates between 'active' acupuncture and 'inactive' or sham acupuncture procedures ^(26,27). Hypnotherapy ; is proposed to act as an aid to smoking cessation by influencing underlying impulses to weaken the desire to smoke, strengthen the will to stop and/or increase concentration and increase ability to focus on a treatment program ⁽²⁸⁾. Most of the studies in the scientific literature are either case reports or poor quality, uncontrolled trials that show a great variability in quit rates (4-88%) six months after treatment ^(29,30). Therefore, there is insufficient evidence to recommend hypnotherapy as a specific treatment for smoking cessation.		References 1. US Department of Health and Human Services. Reducing Tobacco Use: A report of the Surgeon General. US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office on Smoking and Health. Atlanta, Georgia. 2000. 2. Fiore MC, Jorenby DE, Baker TB, Kenford SL. Tobacco dependence and the nicotine patch. Clinical guidelines for effective use. JAMA. 1992;268:2687- 94. 3. Gourlay SG and McNeill JJ . Antismoking products. Med J Aust 1990;153:699- 707 4. Fiore MC, Bailey WC, Cohen SJ, Dorfman SF, et al. Treating Tobacco use and dependence: clinical practice guideline. Rockville (MD): US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. (2000). 5. West R, McNeill A, Raw M. Smoking cessation guidelines for health professionals : an update. Thorax.2000; 55(12): 987-999. 6. Silagy C, Mant D, Fowler G, Lancaster, T. (2000). Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reveiws. 1, 2003. 7. Hajek P, West R, Foulds J, Nilsson F, Burrows S, Meadow A. Randomised comparative trial of nicotine polacrilex, a transdermal patch, nasal spray, and an inhaler. Arch Inter Med.1999; 159(17): 2033-2038. 8. Fiore MC, Smith SS, Jorenby DE, Baker TB. The effectiveness of the nicotine patch for smoking cessation: a meta-analysis. JAMA.1994;271:1940-1947.