Effective provision of pharmacotherapy and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products such as patches and gum can play a key role in helping people to stop smoking. It is vital that health professionals are equipped to advise on how best to use pharmacotherapy products and to address common misconceptions about the impact of nicotine.
Pharmacotherapy
Prescription medications including varenicline and cytisine, are a key component of evidence-based smoking cessation support, and can significantly improve a smoker’s chances of successfully quitting.
Webinars
ASH webinar: Varenicline and cytisine (December 2024)
This ASH webinar provided an overview of smoking cessation medications varenicline and cytisine, as well as a case study from Greater Manchester on their use in trusts, and a summary of the NCSCT training materials and briefings on these medications.
View webinar and download slides here
ASH webinar: Pharmacotherapy to support smoking cessation (April 2022)
This ASH webinar focuses on the role that effective pharmacotherapy provision can play in supporting the NHS Long Term Plan tobacco dependence treatment pathway in maternity, acute and mental health settings.
For those interested in viewing the business case developed by South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw, discussed by Sharon Hughes, you can find all their development and training information on the QUIT website here: https://sybics-quit.co.uk/
Resources for staff
- NICE guideline. NG209 Tobacco: preventing uptake, promoting quitting and treating dependence. This guideline outlines evidence-based recommendations for supporting cessation, including the use of pharmacotherapy including varenicline and cytisine across a range of healthcare settings.
- NCSCT. Stop Smoking aids. This section of the NCSCT website provides guidance and resources on the full range of stop smoking medications and products available in the UK, including varenicline and cytisine.
- NCSCT. Making stop smoking medications available and accessible: guidance and resources. This briefing uses varenicline as a case study to outline practical steps for ensuring stop smoking medications are locally accessible.
- NCSCT. Inpatient Tobacco Dependence Treatment: Best Practices and Key Messages. This briefing outlines how to deliver effective tobacco dependence treatment, including the use of pharmacotherapy, in inpatient settings.
- NCSCT. Tobacco Dependence and Mental Health: A briefing for front-line staff. This provides guidance for staff working in mental health settings and includes information on use of pharmacotherapy in this population.
E-cigarettes
While not licenced as medications, evidence shows that e-cigarettes are 50% more effective for helping adult smokers quit than NRT. NICE guidance [NG209] recommends that smokers are advised that e-cigarettes – along with varenicline and NRT – are more likely to result in them successfully stopping smoking.
Webinars
ASH webinar: Quitting smoking through vaping (June 2023)
This webinar explores how e-cigarettes are being used by services to support smokers to quit. It includes an update from OHID on the new vape procurement platform, followed by case studies from NHS and local authority services which are utilising e-cigarettes to increase smoking cessation among staff and service users.
View webinar and download slides here
ASH webinar: Using e-cigarettes to support smoking cessation in the NHS (April 2022)
This ASH webinar focuses on the role that e-cigarettes can play in supporting smoking cessation in the NHS.
Resources for staff
- NCSCT. Advice for services on making e-cigarettes available in stop smoking services
- NCSCT e-learning. Vaping: a guide for healthcare professionals
- NCSCT. Working with vape shops. A guide for commissioners and stop smoking services
- NCSCT video series. The Switch. The series of films covers first-hand experience of switching from smoking to vaping, an introduction to vaping, the facts on e-cigarette safety and effectiveness, plus two animated films on safety when vaping and secondhand vapour.
- ASH factsheets on adult and youth vaping
- Public sector vaping procurement portals hosted by Office Team Group and Unite/Mercateo
Resources for patients
The Yorkshire Cancer Research Trust, and the University of East Anglia have produced informative leaflets on e-cigarettes, designed for patients:
- Yorkshire Cancer Research Trust - Vape to quit: A guide to your choices
- UEA - Staying switched: Advice for new vapers from old hands