An interesting story from the DesMoines Register outlining several important questions and answers about quitting smoking. Wht should you quit - as if you need a reason.. lol.. how soon you will notice an imporvement in health, and questions about the medications and aids available.Concerns over the safety and effectiveness of new smoking cessation drugs should remind people to consider all available options. Quitline coaches can help smokers create a personal plan to quit, and health care providers can speak with them about prescription drugs such as Zyban or Chantix.

A Clinical Practice Guideline from the US Public Health Service suggests that when feasible and not medically contraindicated, tobacco cessation interventions should include at least one Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved pharmaceutical aid in combination with tobacco dependence counseling.  Here we summarize the medications currently available in the United States for smoking cessation. Approaches for behavioral interventions are presented elsewhere and will not be addressed.