Guidelines aim to support more than 750 million tobacco users worldwide who wish to quit all forms of tobacco.

The World Health Organization (WHO) released the first-ever clinical treatment guidelines on July 2^nd. The guidelines aim to help over 60% (750 Million) of the world’s 1.3 million smokers quit the deadly habit. In its tobacco cessation guideline, WHO proposes a comprehensive range of measures, including behavioural support provided by healthcare providers, digital cessation interventions, and pharmacological treatments.

The World Health Organization recommends varenicline, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), bupropion, and cytisine as effective treatments for people who want to quit smoking.

• Bupropion is an FDA-approved non-nicotine antidepressant. It is currently used for smoking cessation to help smokers quit.
• Cytisine, a partial agonist of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, has the same molecular structure as nicotine and varenicline. It also has similar pharmacological effects. Cytisine minimises the urge to smoke and reduces the severity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
• Varenicline is a nicotine-free pill that works differently compared to other cessation drugs. Although you will need a prescription to buy it, it can be an effective drug for those who have not been able to kick the habit of using other drugs before.

In these guidelines, the UN health agency also recommends counselling, individual, group, or phone counselling, and digital interventions like text messaging, smartphone apps, and internet programs.

A complementary proposition, Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR), can be an additional tool for helping with smoking cessation.

View the WHO clinical treatment guidelines for tobacco cessation here.