There are a number of things that smokers can do to increase their chances of quitting successfully. The best evidence shows that those who use a combination of pharmacological and behavioural support are four times as likely to quit as those who do not use any support. Those using only one of these methods are still more likely to quit than are those using no support.

The most commonly used effective pharmacological support strategies include nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), bupropion, varenicline, and cytisine. At present, cytisine is available only in central and eastern Europe. More details about the pharmacological options are available in Table 3.

Behavioural support includes assistance on practical strategies for stress management, breaking the addiction, guidance on NRT use, and coping with cravings and withdrawal symptoms, for example. This type of support can be delivered face-to-face or through channels such as the telephone, the mobile telephone texting system, or the Internet. Pharmacists, general practitioners, or other health care providers can facilitate access to this type of support.

Another action that sustains smoking abstinence is to implement a smoke-free home.