The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research: Smoking Cessation Clinical Practice Guideline - Findings and Implications for Psychologists

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United States, and the health benefits of quitting smoking are substantial. Nevertheless, over 25% of American adults (48 million individuals) continue to smoke, and the vast majority of quit attempts are unsuccessful. The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research recently addressed the smoking problem by conducting a 2-year research project that was published as the Smoking Cessation Clinical Practice Guideline (Fiore et al., 1996). This article reviews methods, analyses, and results from the Guideline project, and highlights major Guideline recommendations. Guideline findings and recommendations are discussed with respect to their implications for psychology.