Cigarette smoking, nicotine dependence, and treatment.

Since the 1988 Surgeon General's report on nicotine addiction, more attention is being given to nicotine dependence as a substantial contributing factor in cigarette smokers' inability to quit. Many new medications are being investigated for treating nicotine withdrawal and for assisting in long-term smoking abstinence. Medications alone probably will not be helpful; they should be used as adjuncts in comprehensive smoking abstinence programs that address not only the physical dependence on nicotine but also the psychological dependence on cigarette smoking.