No-To-Nicotine: Developing and Evaluating a Smoking and Vaping Cessation Module for Pharmacy Students

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Public Health
• Nicotine Addiction

Background:

• Vaping presents a growing public health challenge, necessitating comprehensive pharmacist training in smoking and vaping cessation.
• Current clinical guidelines and behavior change support techniques must be integrated into pharmacy education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an educational module for student pharmacists.
• To address knowledge and skill gaps in smoking and vaping cessation practices.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of the 'No-to-Nicotine' module with second-year student pharmacists.
• Module included lectures on smoking/vaping and an interactive workshop.
• Pre-post questionnaire assessed changes in knowledge and attitudes.

Main Results:

• Significant increase in total knowledge scores post-module (p <.001).
• Attitudinal shifts indicated enhanced awareness of the pharmacist's role in nicotine dependence management.
• Student feedback confirmed module relevance and applicability to practice.

Conclusions:

• Educational modules can empower student pharmacists in smoking and vaping cessation.
• Integrating current knowledge and skills for smoking and vaping services is vital for pharmacy curricula.