Pharmacological and behavioral strategies for smoking cessation

After over two decades of intensive research, a variety of smoking cessatio n strategies, both behavioral and pharmacotherapeutic, have been developed and clinically validated. In this review, pharmacological products availabl e for smoking cessation are profiled and examined for efficacy Results of a recent comprehensive review and meta-analysis by the Agency for Health Car e Policy and Research on the effects of behavior therapy on smoking cessati on are also discussed. Further, meta-analyses and studies exploring the imp ortant interaction between pharmacological and behavioral therapies are con sidered. Applications of the growing wealth of smoking cessation strategies are discussed with respect to the needs of some special subpopulations of smokers including highly nicotine-dependent smokers and smokers with comorb id psychiatric diagnoses.