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How to Help People Stop Smoking


4 In these reports aims for a 30% reduction of smokers aged 12-24 years and a reduction of 20% in the number of smokers aged 25-65 by the year 2000 are stated4. More recently in the White Paper Smoking kills (1998)' aims for a 26% in adult smoking by the year 2005 are also made. Despite this, there has been a fall in the numbers but little progress has been made especially in the target for young people.4 With the highest rates of smoking in social class V, creating a smoking inequality4. However we should look at the fact that 2% of smokers are glad they started and the majority, 67%, wishes they could stop. .
             What can people in Primary Care do?.
             In the UK about 90% of all contacts between people and the NHS take place in primary care. Approximately 80% of people consult their GP once a year; this figure is higher for smokers. Therefore primary care in seen by many as an important setting through which health boards can encourage and deliver smoking cessation advice and support. Within Primary care cessation advice is delivered mainly by General Practitioners (GP's), practice nurses and health visitors within a GP practice. Therefore if smoking cessation is to be achieved it seems appropriate that GP's should take an active role in the cessation process and encourage it in all their patients.
             A simple way by which GP's can do this is by following this procedure:.
             a) ASK about smoking at every opportunity. This will help establish smoking status and level of dependence.
             b) ADVISE all smokers to stop, also advise them of the risks to their health and the benefits of stopping.
             c) ASISIT the smoker to stop. If a patient has the motivation to stop then help should be given.
             d) ARRANGE follow up. This is important to provide continued support whether they succeed or not. .
             Less than 5% of smokers are able to abstain from smoking for more than one year when un-aided. Primary care practitioners are therefore vital in this process if it is to be effective.


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