Cigarette smoking harms almost every organ of the body and results in many negative health consequences, such as reproductive issues, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and several cancers. It is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States and results in approximately $300 billion in direct and indirect expenses annually.Therefore, smoking cessation remains key to minimizing health and economic consequences to individuals and society. In January 2020, the Office of the Surgeon General released its first report on smoking cessation in 30 years. Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General provides a focused update on scientific evidence regarding health benefits, effective clinical and behavioral interventions, and economic benefits of smoking cessation. In addition, the report found that more than two-thirds of U.S. adults who smoke cigarettes were interested in quitting smoking, and the majority of these individuals had attempted to quit in the past year. Pharmacists in various practice settings can assist these individuals by providing smoking-cessation screenings, education, encouragement, treatment recommendations, and support.
展开▼
