Each year, about 20 million smokers in the US alone attempt to quit, usually in one fell swoop (i.e., sudden and complete cessation) or another non-evidence-based method, resulting in a return to the habit afterward. a few days, weeks, or months. Many go through numerous periods of relapse or withdrawal. The long-term success rate for quitting without help is around 5-7%. In contrast, success rates of 20-50% are achieved among smokers using evidence-based smoking cessation counseling and recommended medications.
Proper evidence-based planning and information are effective both in preventing tobacco use and in treating tobacco dependence.
Smoking has many of the characteristics of chronic disease. Therefore, an optimal evidence-based approach to the treatment of smokers, especially those who are not ready to quit or who have not yet decided to quit, should be based on proven principles and lead the smoker to achieve a healthy life in the short or medium term.
This book contains the strategies to achieve it, in a simple and practical way, following simple procedures that contemplate not only the physical aspect but also the emotional one, such as possible relapses and dropouts.