What’s new in smoking cessation?

Stopping smoking is one of the most significant things that a person can do to improve their health. It is the second most cost-effective measure in COPD management (behind flu vaccination and ahead of all pharmaceuticals) and is associated with later mortality, whatever the age of quitting. In this blog post we discuss the role of the GP in providing support and signposting patients to stop smoking clinics, the principles of very brief advice (VBA), the basic biochemistry of smoking addiction and the pharmacology of the drugs currently available.