Australia has one of the lowest prevalence of smoking in the western world. Rates have dropped precipitously since the 1980s due to a combination of vivid anti-smoking multi-media advertising, taxation, litigation, education and humour. As the population's smoking prevalence declines to 17% it is evident that disadvantaged groups, mostly of lower socio-economic status, such as the indigenous population, migrants and those with mental illnesses, as well as other substance abusers, amongst them, need to be the target of continuing campaigns and cessation endeavours.
Our current target smoker may suffer significant behavioural and physical co-morbidities. We know smokers are not an homogeneous group, may range from mild to severe tobacco dependency, and may have complex neuropsychopharmacological interactions that greatly effect an individual's tobacco consumption. Nicotine blood levels vary amongst smokers as do responses to treatment. For example, many smokers, particularly those with mental illness, are under-dosed using only one form of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and therefore may not be successful in quitting. This workshop will provide evidence-based practical flow-chart applications in pharmaceutical treatments, combination NRT therapies and behavioural interventions. These flow-charts have been developed for health-workers to assess and adapt treatments to the variety of circumstances in smokers they meet daily. Case studies will be presented where these strategies have been implemented.
Harm-reduction in tobacco control is a novel approach to many. The workshop will include harm-reduction strategies, as it is medically important to not only help smokers stop but to reduce the harm in those who do not stop.