New NICE guidance recommends that all NHS hospitals and clinics become completely smoke-free

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Over 40% of all cigarettes smoked in England are smoked by people with severe mental illnesses. This group are more likely to become physically ill than the rest of the population, but they are less likely to be given help to quit. Smoking is especially common among people with mental health problems: whilst 1 in [read the full story…]

Quitting smoking is the easy part, staying quit is hard

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During 2010/11 there were 1.53 million hospital admissions for illnesses directly attributable to smoking in the UK. These admissions, along with other smoking-related expenses, cost the NHS approximately £5 billion pounds per year. Fortunately, the NHS is spending £88.2 million per year on cessation treatments, many of which have been repeatedly demonstrated to be highly [read the full story…]

New Cochrane review examines the effectiveness of smoking cessation strategies in young people

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Worldwide, around 100,000 young people take up smoking every day and approximately 1 in 4 young people in the UK and USA smoke regularly. Although these figures have been falling over the last 20 years, they still represent a major public health concern. Evidence suggests that addiction to nicotine develops quickly in adolescence, and most [read the full story…]

Using adaptive treatments for smoking cessation may prove effective

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Around 20% of adults in the UK smoke cigarettes regularly. Smoking was the primary cause of approximately 462,900 hospital admissions and 79,100 (18%) deaths in adults over the age of 35 last year. Therefore, smoking cessation represents a serious (and costly!) clinical challenge on an individual and global level. Many smoking cessation aids are available, [read the full story…]

Do people stop smoking if their doctor advises them to? Cochrane review says sometimes and it IS worth the effort

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As previously discussed on the Mental Elf, the rates of tobacco smoking in most developed countries are falling, helped in part by high levels of taxation and bans on smoking in public places. However, over 20% of adults in the UK continue to smoke, and this means that smoking is the greatest single cause of [read the full story…]

Review suggests that motivational interviewing may have potential for improving oral health

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Good oral health can be achieved and maintained by compliance with preventive and curative measures and effective self-care. However, adherence to positive behaviours such as toothbrushing, interdental cleaning, smoking cessation and good dietary habits can be variable.  Traditional approaches of patient education revolve around disseminating information and normative advice.  Increasingly the use of motivational interviewing [read the full story…]

New Cochrane review finds that NRT, bupropion and varenicline are effective treatments for smoking cessation

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Smoking is the main preventable cause of premature illness and death worldwide. Approximately 20% of deaths in men and 5% in woman over 30 can be attributed to smoking. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 6 million people die from smoking related disease each year, with tobacco being the number one risk factor for [read the full story…]

Limited information on the effects of smoking cessation on clinical outcomes following periodontal therapy

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Limited information on the effects of smoking cessation on clinical outcomes following periodontal therapy Smoking is a known risk factor for periodontal disease. The aim of this study was to conduct an individual patient data meta-analysis to assess the effect of smoking cessation (SC) on clinical outcomes following the non-surgical periodontal treatment in patients with [read the full story…]

Health Technology Assessment report finds computer and other electronic aids can help people stop smoking

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Smoking continues to be the greatest single preventable cause of premature illness and death in developed countries. Although rates of smoking have fallen, over 20% of the adult population in the UK continues to smoke. Anything which can be done to help people stop smoking will therefore have substantial public health benefits. More and more [read the full story…]

Cochrane review finds bupropion is the best treatment to help people with schizophrenia give up smoking

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People with schizophrenia are 2-3 times more likely to smoke tobacco than the rest of the population, so helping them quit is a significant public health issue. The evidence for smoking cessation interventions in the general population is fairly well defined. We know quite a bit about what works and we have a range of [read the full story…]