By the year 2020 more than 10 million people will die each year from diseases caused by their use of tobacco products, unless large-scale smoking cessation can be achieved. Smoking cessation strategies are vital components of a comprehensive programme that is designed to tackle the problem of tobacco-related diseases. While campaigns designed to stop young people from starting the tobacco habit, and mass media campaigns aimed at encouraging those smokers who can stop easily to do so are of great importance, they are not the whole answer to a really effective smoking control strategy. Even though millions of smokers have given up since the health consequences of smoking became known, many adults still smoke, although surveys have shown that at least two-thirds of them wish to give up. In fact, dependence on nicotine is a fundamental problem for many users.
Nicotine dependence is a medical disorder recognized by major health organizations.
The processes that determine this addiction are similar to those that determine addiction to heroin and cocaine. If every citizen has the right to receive encouragement, health-care professionals have a duty to provide counselling and treat tobacco dependence as they would any other disease or addiction. They should advise patients to stop using tobacco products and provide medical treatment for nicotine dependence when necessary. In particular, general practitioners should be identifying tobacco users, diagnosing the extent of their nicotine dependence and offering appropriate advice and treatment. Both behavioural measures to encourage motivation to quit and pharmacological treatment to alleviate nicotine withdrawal symptoms should be used.