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Fact Sheet

Cessation

(updated April 2008)

Nicotine is the psychoactive drug in tobacco products that produces dependence.^1,3 Most smokers are dependent on nicotine,² and smokeless tobacco use can also lead to nicotine dependence.⁴ Nicotine dependence is the most common form of chemical dependence in the United States.³ Research suggests that nicotine is as addictive as heroin, cocaine, or alcohol.⁵ Examples of nicotine withdrawal symptoms include irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and increased appetite.¹ Quitting tobacco use is difficult and may require multiple attempts,² as users often relapse because of withdrawal symptoms.^1,2 Tobacco dependence is a chronic condition that often requires repeated intervention.⁶

Health Benefits of Cessation

• People who stop smoking greatly reduce their risk of dying prematurely.^7,8 Benefits are greater for people who stop at earlier ages, but cessation is beneficial at all ages.^7,8
• Smoking cessation lowers the risk for lung and other types of cancer.⁷ The risk for developing cancer declines with the number of years of smoking cessation.^7,8
• Risk for coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease is reduced after smoking cessation.^7,8 Coronary heart disease risk is substantially reduced within 1 to 2 years of cessation.⁸
• Cessation reduces respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.⁷ The rate of decline in lung function is slower among persons who quit smoking.^7,8
• Women who stop smoking before or during pregnancy reduce their risk for adverse reproductive outcomes such as infertility or having a low-birth-weight baby.⁸

Quitting Interest and Behavior Among Tobacco Users

• Among current U.S. adult smokers, 70% report that they want to quit completely.⁹ In 2006, an estimated 19.2 million (44.2%) adult smokers had stopped smoking for at least 1 day during the preceding 12 months because they were trying to quit.¹⁰
• An estimated 45.7 million adults were former smokers in 2006.¹⁰
• More than 54% of current high school cigarette smokers in the United States tried to quit smoking within the preceding year.¹¹

Tobacco Use Cessation Methods

• Brief clinical interventions by health care providers can increase the chances of successful cessation, as can counseling and behavioral cessation therapies.⁶ Treatments with more person-to-person contact and intensity (e.g., more time with counselors) are more effective.⁶ Individual, group, or telephone counseling are all effective.⁶
• Pharmacological therapies found to be effective for treating tobacco dependence include nicotine replacement products (e.g., gum, inhaler, patch) and non-nicotine medications, such as bupropion SR (Zyban^®)⁶ and varenicline tartrate (Chantix^™).¹²

References

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: Nicotine Addiction: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Health Promotion and Education, Office on Smoking and Health, 1988 [cited 2008 Jan 29]. Available from: http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/NN/B/B/Z/D/.
2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Reducing Tobacco Use: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2000 [cited 2006 Nov 06]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_2000/index.htm.
3. American Society of Addiction Medicine. Nicotine Dependence and Tobacco. Public Policy of ASAM; 1996 [cited 2006 Nov 06]. Available from: http://americ20.temp.veriohosting.com/ppol/NICOTINE%20DEPENDENCE%20&%20TOBACCO%2010-96%20(1).htm.
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Using Smokeless Tobacco: A Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service; 1986. NIH Pub. No. 86-2874 [cited 2006 Nov 06]. Available from: http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/NN/B/B/F/C/.
5. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 1994 [cited 2006 Nov 06]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_1994/index.htm.
6. Fiore MC, Bailey WC, Cohen SJ, Dorfman SF, Goldstein MG, Gritz ER, et al. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: Quick Reference Guide for Clinicians. [cited 2006 May 23]. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service; 2000. Available from: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/default.htm.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 1990. DHHS Pub. No. (CDC) 90-8416 [cited 2006 Nov 06]. Available from: http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/NN/B/B/C/T/.
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Women and Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2001 [cited 2006 Nov 06]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr_forwomen/index.htm.
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cigarette Smoking Among Adults—United States, 2000. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report [serial online] 2002;51(29):642–645 [cited 2006 Nov 06]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5129a3.htm.
10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cigarette Smoking Among Adults—United States, 2006. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report [serial online] 2007;56(44):1157–1161 [cited 2007 Nov 8]. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5644a2.htm.
11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Youth Online: Comprehensive Results, 2005. [updated 2006 Apr 5; cited 2006 Nov 06]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/tobacco/index.htm.
12. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA Approves New Drug for Smoking Cessation. FDA Consumer; July–August 2006 [cited 2008 Jan 31]. Available from: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2006/406_smoking.html.

For Further Information

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office on Smoking and Health
E-mail: tobaccoinfo@cdc.gov
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO

Media Inquiries: Contact CDC's Office on Smoking and Health press line at 770-488-5493.

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