WHO European strategy for smoking cessation policy

The WHO European Strategy for Smoking Cessation Policy aims to provide guidelines and support to the Member States in building capacity to strengthen their smoking cessation activities. It is the first publication in the new series of strategy documents following the adoption of the European Strategy for Tobacco Control. Although this document focuses on interventions within the health system designed to help smokers stop, these interventions should still be embedded within a comprehensive tobacco control strategy employing a broad range of policies. The document describes the effectiveness of the measures influencing the demand for tobacco products and of the different interventions directly targeted to facilitate the changes in tobacco users’ behaviour or attitudes.

The document proposes priorities in smoking cessation policy for countries in the initial and transitional phases of tobacco control policy and for countries having, or developing, comprehensive tobacco control programmes. It presents different elements for building national capacity for smoking cessation policy and reiterates the need for evaluation and for international collaboration describing, in particular, the role of WHO.