Smoking is one of the major causes of premature death and its negative effects on a person's health are a global issue. Therefore, the United Kingdom has introduced new policies aimed at reducing the proportion of smokers from 26% in 2005 down to 21% by 2010. One mechanism to meet this policy target is the provision of stop smoking services. This article aims to estimate the Leeds smoking population at the small area level and especially to highlight the distribution of hard-to-reach groups such as heavy smokers (> 20 cigarettes/day) and pregnant women who smoke. Then optimal location strategies are discussed in relation to stop smoking services. The findings show the importance of adding a spatial component to find out where the smoking population or specific subgroups of smokers are to support policymakers or healthcare planners who are responsible for the planning process of the services.

Background: Cessation-related weight gain and weight concerns are common among smokers and have a negative impact on quitting. Obese smokers tend to gain more than the average amount of weight and also have lower quit rates. This article describes the prevalence of obesity and weight concerns among smokers calling a state quitline in the United States. Results: Among 3972 smokers using a state quitline, 33.3% were obese, 30.2% overweight, 33.3% normal weight and 3.2% under-weight; a total of 60.6% were concerned about cessation-related weight gain. Compared with non-obese callers, obese callers were more likely to be female, Hispanic, non-White and heavier smokers. Conclusions: This is the first study to report data on body weight and weight concerns of smokers calling a national quitline. Given the lower quit rates among obese and weight-concerned smokers, and the burden of smoking and obesity, there is an opportunity to develop new treatment approaches for this at-risk population.

Objectives: Although the benefits of smoking cessation are well established, long-term abstinence from cigarettes is difficult for many smokers to achieve. We aimed to examine quit attempts, years since quitting and factors associated with long-term abstinence among former smokers. Methods: Data were from the 2006 Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey. Descriptive analyses were performed and logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with long-term abstinence (more than 5 years) among former smokers. Results: In 2006, over one in four Canadians (27.1%, n = 7,200,000) aged 15 and older was a former smoker. The prevalence of former smoking was higher among men (30.9%) in comparison to women (23.4%). Former smokers who quit in the past 3 years or earlier were more likely to be older as well as have children younger than 15 in the household. Logistic regression analyses revealed that older age was a significant predictor of long-term abstinence from smoking. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that there are modifiable characteristics associated with long-term smoking abstinence that could be addressed by relapse prevention programming. Longitudinal data are warranted to further clarify the relationship between certain characteristic of former smokers and the duration of abstinence.

We conducted a sensitivity analysis under four scenarios using data from three Asian studies conducted with low dropout rates to evaluate the efficacy of varenicline in smoking cessation within a scenario where dropouts from the study are dealt with in a manner as unfavourable as possible to varenicline. Pooled odds ratio of continuous abstinence at week 24 was 1.55 (95% confidence interval: 1.03–2.35, random-effect model) under the scenario where dropouts from the varenicline group were dealt with as smokers and those from the placebo group as successful quitters. From the present study, the efficacy of varenicline has been firmly established in the Asian population.

This article describes a culturally and linguistically relevant, physician-led smoking cessation intervention that was delivered to the Chinese American community in New York City. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 115 participants (94% male) at a clinical site of a community health centre. The smoking intervention program included pharmacological treatments and brief cessation counselling, education and support by the physician and the health educator. Process data included the drop-out rate, number of visits completed and use of pharmacotherapy. Outcome data included self-reported and biochemically verified (expired carbon monoxide) smoking status at week 12. In the process evaluation, valuable information about the components of interventions that worked well and challenges participants faced during their quit attempts was gathered from participants, doctors and the health educator. Sixteen participants (13.9%) successfully quit smoking. Chinese male smokers face many daunting challenges that prevent them from regularly attending a smoking cessation program. Despite these challenges, they appeared to benefit from brief interventions, although the cessation rate was modest at best. This information should be incorporated into future design of smoking cessation programs to address required behavioural change in this population.

The Bedouin are Muslim Arabs who have inhabited the Negev desert region of Israel under nomadic and seminomadic conditions for centuries. Today, the majority are living in urban settings with high levels of unemployment, poverty, and problem behaviour. Limited research exists of Bedouin youth, specifically their smoking attitudes and behaviour. This study examined 293 male and female high school-age youth with the WHO-CDC Global Youth Tobacco Survey instrument. Chi square and regression analyses were performed. Parent smoking behaviour, smoking if offered a cigarette, likelihood of smoking during the next 12 months and 5 years, and smoking behaviour among friends are significant factors that influence smoking regardless of gender status. Regression analysis shows cigarette use is influenced by gender status, parent(s) smoking behaviour, smoking behaviour among friends, being offered a cigarette by a friend, and the perception of males who smoke as being a positive social image. Smoking is a public health problem and cessation interventions are needed for Bedouin youth. Additional research with practical implications should focus on the high rate of tobacco use among males, the relation between psychosocial factors and smoking behaviour in urban and rural settings and the impact of formal education and community-based activities on smoking prevention and cessation.