Overview

Cessation programs change individual lives and reshape social norms and community values. Cessation programs are an effective part of tobacco control policy to reduce or to eradicate tobacco smoking and related harm. The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) was developed in response to the globalization of the tobacco epidemic. The treaty’s governing body, comprising all Parties, is the Conference of the Parties (COP), an intergovernmental entity that supervises the effective implementation of the treaty. In November 2010, the Conference of the Parties (COP) adopted guidelines for implementation of Article 14 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) on "Demand reduction measures concerning tobacco dependence and cessation" (decision FCTC/COP4(8)).

They recommend that each ratifying Party to provide telephone Quitlines to support cessation. In addition, WHO, MPOWER Report has been offered as effective implementation package for shifting the global tobacco epidemic. It includes telephone Quitlines under its section ‘Offer help to quit tobacco use’.

For this reason, many general programs and aids for tobacco cessation recently have been developed and are available online. However, as smoking is complex disease (WHO Disease Classification) caused by nicotine and habitual addiction on tobacco use, and as the Asian Pacific Region has high prevalence of smoking in some countries, we need culturally and linguistically sensitive services that have high reach and are sustainable cessation services.

Also, there should be an effort made to make these services accessible to all sections of our society by understanding the support needs of the smokers who struggle through a difficult cycle of addiction as well as with a very dangerous and unhealthy addiction.

In this aspect a telephone based cessation program has been introduced as an evidence based, effective and recommendable cessation program in trial and real-world settings. A telephone Quitline offers important support including psychological and behavioral counseling, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), and other pharmacologic therapy to encourage smokers to quit the habit and maintain their behavioral change

Major goals of these Guidelines

These Guidelines are aimed at

• Increasing cessation
• Reducing exposure to secondhand smoking
• Eliminating disparities in access to help and treatment for tobacco cessation
• Maintaining of abstinence of smoking
• Prevention of smoking (initiation)