Access to telephone based counselling and quitting resources increases quitting success rates.

In a community-based trial of quitline access, in which smokers registered to receive a self-help manual, quit rates were higher in counties with quitline access relative to counties without access. 36% of those in counties with access had called at least once by 18 months and 9% spoke to a counsellor at least once. Quitlines that only provide self-help materials have not been evaluated, but self-help materials are likely to have a small effect in assisting cessation. Most quitlines provide access to counselling, and callers to quitlines who receive call-back counselling appear to benefit from more frequent contact.

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Stead LF, Lancaster T, Perera R. Telephone counselling for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006; 3.

Fiore MC, Jaén CR, Baker TB, et al. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update. Clinical Practice Guideline. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service. May 2008.

An LC, Zhu SH, Nelson DB, Arikian NJ, Nugent S, Partin MR, Joseph AM. Benefits of telephone care over primary care for smoking cessation: a randomized trial. Arch Intern Med. 2006; 166: 536-542.