Current, historical and subclinical depression have been linked to a high i
ncidence of cigarette smoking and smoking cessation relapse. This review di
scusses the efficacy, suitability and other treatment issues involved in us
ing nicotine replacement therapy, antidepressant treatment and cognitive-be
havioural interventions to help depressed smokers quit smoking. It is recom
mended that prior to choosing a smoking cessation treatment regimen; assess
ment should be made of: (i) current and past history of depression; (ii) ni
cotine dependency; and (iii) other risk factors (e.g. family history of dep
ression, past difficulty in quitting) for relapse. For those individuals wh
o are highly nicotine dependent and who have a current or past history of m
ajor depressive disorder or who have several risk factors, a combination of
antidepressants or cognitive-behavioural treatment and nicotine replacemen
t therapy is recommended For those individuals who have fewer risk factors,
a single modality of treatment may be sufficient.