Nicotine dependence. Diagnosis and treatment.

Psychiatrists must become more involved in the engagement and treatment of nicotine-dependent patients in their clinical practice because it is the number one killer in the DSM-III-R. There is no single treatment that will fit all psychiatric patients. Instead, a carefully tailored treatment plan is generated using the seven tier system to fit each patient and their psychosocial profile. Psychiatrists have the medical, social, and psychological training needed to manage nicotine-dependent patients. Although further research is needed, psychiatrists should no longer ignore their responsibility to treat nicotine dependence.