Smoking Reduction

Smoking reduction, cutting down the cigarettes smoked per day, is common in the UK. However, the amount that smokers cut down by is relatively small and there is little evidence to suggest that reducing cigarette consumption in itself has a positive effect on smoking-related outcomes. This is most likely due to the fact that smokers who cut down compensate for this reduction by increasing the intensity with which they smoke cigarettes to maintain a relatively stable level of nicotine intake. Consequently, data suggest that smoking reduction does not significantly reduce smoking-related mortality or morbidity. Whilst unaided smoking reduction has not been reliably shown to increase quit attempts or smoking cessation rates, there is good evidence that the provision of NRT to smokers who cut down their cigarette consumption results in longer, substantial decreases in cigarette consumption and improves their chances to stop smoking completely. For this reason, NRT in the UK is now licensed for smoking reduction and available to smokers who cannot or unwilling to stop smoking completely as a harm reduction measure