The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7217 p438-439
28 September 2002

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  CPD
  Professionalism
  Smoking cessation
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  The Society
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Letters to the Editor

Smoking cessation

Funding must be maintained

From Dr T. Maguire, MPSNI

I was saddened to read A. F. Huntley's outburst on funding for smoking cessation clinics (PJ, 21 September, p393). His paternalistic, dogmatic and insensitive opinion is unworthy of a caring professional. Smoking is highly addictive — more addictive than heroin — and many smokers experience considerable problems attempting to stop. Smokers should stop smoking but to blame them for their habit is to forget that four out of five want to stop but find they are unable to do so.

Mr Huntley's simplistic scare tactics have not been shown to be effective and therefore less reactionary approaches to helping smokers quit have been developed and have been shown to work.

Pharmacy has an impressive record in tackling smoking and around the United Kingdom there are excellent examples of pharmacy-based smoking cessation services that boast impressive cessation rates. Pharmacists who provide these services have developed the skills necessary to facilitate smokers to stop. It is vital that funding for such services is maintained.

Terry Maguire
Belfast

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