Following recent developments, Smoking Cessation Update 2007 (External link) is now available. It supplements the guidelines by providing details of new effective smoking interventions and other developments that have taken place since 2004 to tackle smoking cessation. It includes new evidence on ways to stop , following a review by the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), and provides details of the steps being taken to prevent young people from starting to smoke and helping them give up.
There is also guidance available for all health care professionals who want to encourage smokers to quit. Just asking patients if they've thought about stopping and reminding them of the health risks can lead 2% of them to break the habit.
The short guide Encouraging smokers to stop – what you can do is of benefit to those providing smoking cessation services. For example, it:
- Explains the steps involved in advising smokers to quit.
- Describes the products available.
- Summarises the health risks and why it's worth stopping.
If your job means you may need to discuss their smoking with patients or clients, you will find this booklet helpful.