Key findings

Health and economic benefits of smoking cessation

Smoking cessation will reduce smokers’ risk of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality in the short and long term.
commentary and supporting evidence
Smoking cessation is particularly important for short-term improvements in public health.
commentary and supporting evidence
Quitting smoking will reduce the costs of health care, the loss of productivity, and other external costs caused by smoking.
commentary and supporting evidence
Providing workplace smoking cessation coverage leads to health and economic benefits for both employers and insurers.
commentary and supporting evidence

Public policy interventions and their cost effectiveness

Policies that promote smoking cessation are highly cost-effective, and are more cost-effective than many other government-financed health interventions.
commentary and supporting evidence
Higher cigarette prices reduce cigarette smoking by decreasing smoking prevalence and reducing the number of cigarettes smoked by continuing smokers.
commentary and supporting evidence
Increases in cigarette prices reduce smoking by more in low- and middle-income countries than comparable increases in prices in high-income countries.
commentary and supporting evidence
Higher cigarette prices induce smoking cessation among both young adults and middle-aged and older adults.
commentary and supporting evidence
Higher cigarette prices are effective in reducing the initiation of regular smoking.
commentary and supporting evidence
Cigarette tax increases are the most cost-effective method for promoting smoking cessation.
commentary and supporting evidence
Pharmacotherapy, including nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and prescription drugs, is effective in treating tobacco dependence, increasing quit rates, and increasing long-term smoking abstinence rates.
commentary and supporting evidence
Use of NRT is a cost-effective cessation method. A comparison of the cost-effectiveness of NRT and other health care interventions shows that the use of NRT is either comparable or performs better.
commentary and supporting evidence
The demand for nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) is inversely related to the price of NRT products.
commentary and supporting evidence
The demand for nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) is directly related to the level of third-party coverage for NRT products, and inversely related to out-of-pocket costs.
commentary and supporting evidence
The availability of NRT, and the amount of NRT consumed, have decreased demand for cigarettes and resulted in net social benefits.
commentary and supporting evidence
The demand for NRT is positively related to the price of cigarettes.
commentary and supporting evidence
Bupropion is a cost-effective therapy in smoking cessation programs, among others.
commentary and supporting evidence
Comprehensive community based programs are cost effective in reducing tobacco use and improving public health.
commentary and supporting evidence
Even brief advice by a health care professional increases the probability of a smoker quitting and, as a result, this method is highly cost effective.
commentary and supporting evidence
Workplace smoking bans reduce both smoking prevalence and smoking intensity and, when self-enforced, these bans are highly cost-effective. Workplace-based cessation programs constitute a good investment for employers. Including bupropion in a workplace cessation program is cost-effective.
commentary and supporting evidence
When smokers are exposed to higher amounts of advertising for pharmacotherapy, they are more likely both to attempt to quit and to successfully quit smoking.
commentary and supporting evidence
Adequate and sustained funding for comprehensive tobacco control programs is effective in reducing cigarette smoking.
commentary and supporting evidence
Multiple call-back counseling improves long-term cessation for smokers who contact quitline services. Offering more calls may improve success rates.
commentary and supporting evidence
Television, radio, and print media advertising can all increase calls to smokers' quitlines.
commentary and supporting evidence
Offering free NRT through a state tobacco quitline may increase quitline utilization and quit rates.
commentary and supporting evidence

High risk populations

Cessation programs for patients with smoking-related health problems are very cost effective.
commentary and supporting evidence
Smoking in lower socioeconomic groups is more responsive to increases in price than smoking in higher economic groups.
commentary and supporting evidence
Reductions in smoking can reduce health gaps between the rich and the poor.
commentary and supporting evidence
Higher cigarette taxes and other tobacco control efforts reduce smoking among pregnant women. Programs targeting pregnant women are highly cost-effective.
commentary and supporting evidence
Living in a deprived area can reduce the probability of quitting smoking.
commentary and supporting evidence
Individual smokers suffer deprivation as a result of smoking.
commentary and supporting evidence
Smoking cessation programs can be cost-effective even in hard-to-reach populations provided that the program is adapted to their needs and environment.
commentary and supporting evidence
Younger (<16 years) and non-daily smokers experience a similar or higher prevalence of cessation attempts compared with older age (>16 years) or daily smokers. Older smokers appear to be much less likely to make a cessation attempt than younger smokers, but if they do, they are much more likely to quit successfully.
commentary and supporting evidence
Quitlines can effectively promote cessation across a wide variety of populations.
commentary and supporting evidence