Why Is Your Patient Still Smoking Cigarettes?
September 14, 2026 by substack.com
Why Is Your Patient Still Smoking Cigarettes?
A patient who still smokes is not a failure of character. It may be a sign that the advice, tools or assumptions around quitting are not meeting the reality of dependence. Clinicians can make a difference by asking what has already been tried, what keeps the cigarette in place, and whether lower-risk nicotine options could support a move away from combustion. Smoking cessation works better when care starts with the person, not the expectation that one method should work for everyone.
14.10% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 39.8 million current smokers in United States 17.10% of men are current smokers but only 11.10% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
