WHO issues new guidelines to help adults quit tobacco | Vopbuzz.com
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced its first comprehensive guidelines aimed at helping adults quit tobacco. These guidelines include behavioral support from healthcare providers, digital cessation interventions, and pharmacological treatments.
With more than 750 million tobacco users worldwide expressing a desire to quit, the World Health Organization’s recommendations cover a variety of tobacco products, including cigarettes, waterpipes, smokeless tobacco, cigars, roll-your-own tobacco, and heated tobacco products (HTPs).
Although more than 60% of the world’s 1.25 billion tobacco users want to quit smoking, approximately 70% do not have access to effective quitting services due to lack of resources in health systems.
The guidelines aim to support communities and governments in providing optimal support to people on this challenging journey.
WHO recommends combining pharmacotherapy with behavioral interventions to increase the chances of successful quitting. Recommended pharmacological treatments include varenicline, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), bupropion, and cytisine. Countries are encouraged to make these treatments available at low or no cost to improve access, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
In 2023, WHO launched a prequalification process for medicinal products targeting tobacco use disorders. By April 2024, Kenview’s nicotine gum and patches became the first WHO-prequalified NRT products.
The World Health Organization also recommends brief counseling sessions from health workers, more intensive behavioral support, and digital interventions such as text messaging, smartphone apps, and internet programs as effective tools for quitting smoking.
The World Health Organization urges healthcare providers, policy makers and stakeholders to adopt and implement these guidelines to promote tobacco cessation and improve the health of millions of people worldwide. This initiative aims to fill the gap in cessation services and support the global effort to reduce the burden of tobacco-related diseases.
