The role of the family physician in smoking cessation

Two studies conducted at the Ottawa Civic Hospital Family Medicine Centre indicate that physicians are unlikely to help patients quit smoking merely by discussing cessation strategies; only highly motivated smokers who have made three to five attempts already are likely to stop smoking for a year or more. Each attempt helps the smoker to better understand the difficulties he must overcome in order to quit. A four-step program is suggested to help physicians address the problem of smoking. This program includes educating and informing the public about the dangers of smoking and second hand smoke; discussing the relationship between smoking and illness with smokers to encourage them to try quitting; low intensity intervention (e.g., support and encouragement and other simple strategies) to encourage smokers who aren't highly motivated to make an attempt to quit; and high intensity intervention (e.g., several group sessions) for patients who are highly motivated.