ABSTRACT
Smoking is a substantial cause of deaths and hospital admissions in the United Kingdom (UK). The prevalence of smoking in the UK has declined relatively slowly over the last decade and more than 20% of the adult population are still smokers. The provision of a high-quality National Health Service stop smoking service remains a government priority and forms a key element of the UK's national tobacco control policy. Only about 4-7% of people are able to quit smoking on any given attempt without medicines or other help. Smoking cessation at any age provides life extension. Smoking cessation in older adults reduces the risks of cardiac events during the first year of quitting and the risks continue to decline more gradually over many years. Smoking is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease. Smoking increases the risk of depression. The lower socio-economic groups generally have poorer health outcomes and it is important to help them stop smoking.
