Smoking cessation – how can a pharmacist help?

Smoking and a tobacco addiction is a chronic disease being among the risk factors for the emergence of a range of diseases.Smokers are a threatened group even for postoperative complications and for the process of the operation itself. Passive smokingis also underestimated. There are more than 2 million people addicted to tobacco in the Czech Republic, 18 000 people out ofwhich annually die. Half of smokers die 15 years earlier than if they would not smoke. At the beginning of smoking social addictiondominates which is then being developed to psychological and later on to physical addiction. To quit smoking has significance atany age. Getting rid of addiction is very difficult without help and that is why doctors have begun setting up specialized centres.To make the assistance to smokers available as broad as possible, also pharmacists take part in this activity. Trained pharmacistsprovide professional counselling at pharmacies for giving up smoking. The pharmacists evaluate the status of the smoker andpropose an individual cessation plan including therapy and crisis management. However, any intervention or offer of educationalmaterials supporting non-smoking are significant.

Keywords: tobacco, tobacco addiction, pharmacist – expert advisor, giving up smoking in the pharmacy, treatment options