Context

Tobacco use remains a leading cause of avoidable premature mortality and morbidity worldwide with approximately 800 million male and 200 million female smokers worldwide.1 Much of this ongoing disease burden can be avoided through smoking cessation. However, nicotine in tobacco smoke is highly addicting and most cessation attempts fail. There are diverse approaches to increase the success rate of quit attempts, including approved pharmacological therapies: nicotine-replacement therapy (NRT; available in several forms and over-the-counter), bupropion (an antidepressant) and varenicline (a partial nicotine agonist). Each of these medications, used in combination with appropriate counselling and support, increases the likelihood of …