Tobacco use and dependence is a chronic relapsing disease, due to nicotine in tobacco.

To assess smoking cessation rates and compliance to a smoking cessation program in moderate tobacco consumers with low and moderate nicotine dependence score.

Analysis of demographic variables, smoking profile, nicotine dependence score, type of cigarettes smoked, past history of nicotine withdrawal syndrome and medical history was performed. Patients underwent either pharmacological therapy and counselling, either counselling alone for 3 months. 6 months follow up based on face to face or telephonic evaluation was done to assess smoking abstinence rates.

Study group was made of 124 moderate smokers (40 % men, age average 31.2) referred to a smoking cessation center in the Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases Iasi in 2007-2009. While 31.2 % had low nicotine dependence (Fagerstrom scores < 3) and 40% moderate dependence (score 4-7) psychiatric co-morbidities were met in 12 % and 40 % of subjects described nicotine withdrawal history. 38.8% started smoking under the age of 14 and 30 % prefered nonfiltered or menthol cigarettes. 71.2 % of the study group underwent pharmacological therapy. Abstinence rate was 30 % at 3 months end of treatment and 12.5 % at 6 months.

Even if low or moderate cigarette consumption and low - moderate nicotine dependence score, quitting smoking may be difficult due to specific smoking patterns in this category of smokers, resulting in unexpected low abstinence rates.