Smoking cessation

Every smoker should be advised to quit. In patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), smoking cessation impacts on both the course of disease and mortality. Due to the high degree of nicotine addiction, long-term abstinence is particularly difficult to achieve in COPD patients. While several cessation strategies can be offered to smokers in general (advice, pharmacotherapy and cessation programmes), a combination of counselling and medication has been shown to be the only effective method in patients with COPD. Although there is compelling evidence for the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions, medical education on this topic and reimbursement facilities are insufficient in Germany. Policy-makers need to ensure that all smokers willing to quit are offered optimal support.