MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1992 Sep; 41(35): 645-7, 653.

Public health focus: effectiveness of smoking-control strategies--United States.

In 1990, approximately 46 million adults in the United States continued to smoke; however, more than 44 million persons were former smokers (1) who had reduced their risk for the leading causes of death in the United States (2). Smoking-cessation methods can be categorized as 1) self-help strategies (e.g., quitting abruptly and completely ["cold turkey"], using quitting manuals, or using nonprescription drugs) or 2) assisted strategies (e.g., smoking-cessation clinics, hypnosis, acupuncture, or nicotine gum or patch with counseling). This report summarizes information regarding the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of smoking-cessation strategies.