39. What's New in 2008?-New Recommendations (Continued)
Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update
Combining Counseling and Medication:
Recommendation: The combination of counseling and medication is more effective for smoking cessation than either medication or counseling alone. Therefore, whenever feasible and appropriate, both counseling and medication should be provided to patients trying to quit smoking. (Strength of Evidence = A).
Recommendation: There is a strong relation between the number of sessions of counseling when it is combined with medication, and the likelihood of successful smoking abstinence. Therefore, to the extent possible, clinicians should provide multiple counseling sessions, in addition to medication, to their patients who are trying to quit smoking. (Strength of Evidence = A).