Meta-analytic review of the efficacy of smoking cessation interventions.

A meta-analysis of randomized and controlled evaluations of the efficacy of smoking cessation interventions compared 146 estimates of the difference in abstinence rates between treated and control conditions (effect sizes) from 85 publications. Simple advice to quit and other brief intervention techniques, nicotine chewing gum and behavioural techniques were all found to be significantly better than relevant control conditions in promoting abstinence, although the results were not homogeneous. In five studies of acupuncture compared with control, consistent results were found showing no benefit for acupuncture.