WHO Launches First-Ever Comprehensive Guidelines for Tobacco Cessation
Empowering 750 Million Smokers with Effective Strategies and Treatments to Quit Tobacco
Geneva, 2 July 2024 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its inaugural clinical treatment guideline for tobacco cessation in adults. This landmark document outlines a comprehensive set of interventions, including behavioural support from healthcare providers, digital cessation tools, and pharmacological treatments, aimed at helping the more than 750 million tobacco users worldwide who want to quit.
“This guideline marks a crucial milestone in our global battle against these dangerous products,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “It empowers countries with the essential tools to effectively support individuals in quitting tobacco and alleviate the global burden of tobacco-related diseases.”
The guideline addresses all adults seeking to quit various forms of tobacco, including cigarettes, waterpipes, smokeless tobacco products, cigars, roll-your-own tobacco, and heated tobacco products (HTPs). Despite over 60% of the world’s 1.25 billion tobacco users wanting to quit, 70% lack access to effective cessation services due to resource limitations within health systems.
Dr. Rüdiger Krech, Director of Health Promotion at WHO, emphasized the difficulty of quitting smoking and the need for strong support systems: “The immense struggle that people face when trying to quit smoking cannot be overstated. We need to deeply appreciate the strength it takes and the suffering endured by individuals and their loved ones to overcome this addiction.”
The WHO’s guideline highlights the effectiveness of combining pharmacotherapy with behavioural interventions, recommending varenicline, Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), bupropion, and cytisine as key treatments. Countries are encouraged to offer these therapies at low or no cost to enhance accessibility, especially in low- and middle-income regions.
In 2023, WHO initiated a prequalification process for medicinal products to combat tobacco-related disorders, improving global access to recommended cessation medications. In April 2024, Kenvue’s nicotine gum and patch became the first WHO-prequalified NRT products.
Behavioural interventions, such as brief health worker counselling and intensive support through individual, group, or phone counselling, are recommended alongside digital tools like text messaging, smartphone apps, and internet programs. These combined efforts aim to make tobacco cessation more accessible and effective.
WHO calls on healthcare providers, policymakers, and stakeholders to adopt and implement these guidelines to improve global health outcomes for millions of tobacco users.
SOURCE: WHO
