Tabakkonsum und Behandlung von Tabakabhängigkeit: Wirksame Strategien und aktuelle Entwicklungen

Every year, around 127,000 people in Germany die as a result of smoking tobacco. These include 85,000 people with tobacco-related cancer. However, about a quarter of the adult population in Germany still smokes—often even when a tobacco-related disease develops. Many smokers do not achieve abstinence without support. This article provides an overview of evidence-based tobacco cessation strategies and also describes the potential of tobacco cessation in the context of adjuvant therapy for tumor diseases. Finally, health policy challenges for tobacco cessation care are highlighted. A variety of psychological and pharmacological intervention methods for tobacco cessation are effective. Patients who smoke with tobacco-related diseases should be offered tobacco cessation therapy. As an adjuvant therapy in cancer treatment, it is comparatively inexpensive, with significant benefits for disease recovery and quality of life for those affected. To date, however, it has been offered in Germany only as a poorly regulated preventive measure. Tobacco cessation is of great importance as an adjuvant therapy for tumor diseases. In order to improve the quality of life of a large number of people with tobacco-related diseases, as well as for health economic reasons, it is urgently necessary that it become established and financed as a nationwide routine process in medical care.