Systematic Treatment of Hospitalized Smokers Promotes Short-Term Quitting

For patients who smoke, admission to a hospital imposes temporary abstinence. However, whether systematically providing smoking cessation treatment to hospitalized patients results in permanent abstinence is unclear. In this trial from a U.K. hospital, medical wards were randomized to provide either an intervention (systematic identification of smokers, behavioral support from smoking cessation practitioners and pharmacotherapy while in the hospital, and referral to community support services after discharge) or usual care (cessation support delivered by medical staff at their discretion). Nearly 500 hospitalized patients (mean age, 56) were enrolled.

During their hospital stays, all intervention patients were advised to quit smoking, compar…