Introduction: Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) and mental health disorders (MHDs) have greater prevalence of smoking and suffer greater tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. Varenicline is the latest FDA-approved smoking-cessation agent and few studies have investigated the use of varenicline in this difficult-to-treat population.

Aims: This study examines the smoking cessation outcomes and tolerability of varenicline when used to help quit smoking in 16 patients enroled in both psychiatric and substance abuse programme.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 16 patient charts. Patient demographics, psychiatric disorder diagnoses, substance use history, dosing, side effects, number of cigarettes used pre/post varenicline use and the number of complete smoking cessation outcomes were tabulated.

Results: After varenicline intervention, 25% of those who completed treatment completely quit smoking. Thirty-one per cent were able to substantially cut back the amount that they smoked to one cigarette per day. The average reduction in cigarettes was 16 per day (64%), and all but one patient tolerated varenicline.

Conclusions: The authors observed reasonable clinical benefit when varenicline was used to help quit smoking in patients with comorbid SUDs and MHDs. Better-controlled future studies with larger sample sizes will help further determine clinical utility of varenicline in this difficult-to-treat nicotine-dependent population.

Introduction: With evidence to support the use of text messaging for smoking cessation, some quitlines in North America have incorporated text messaging into their service offerings.

Aims: This study sought to evaluate whether integrated phone counselling and text messaging services are acceptable to quitline callers, and to identify strategies for improving text messaging services in the context of a quitline.

Methods: Thirty-five adult callers of the New Mexico state quitline who had enrolled in multi-call phone counselling and Text2Quit, a text messaging programme, were interviewed by phone. Interviews assessed use and acceptability of the phone counselling and text messaging interventions.

Results: Use of phone counselling and text messaging was generally high among participants. While most participants reported that they would highly recommend Text2Quit (75.8%) or phone counselling (78.8%) individually, a relatively higher proportion indicated they would highly recommend the combined services (93.9%). Suggestions for improvement focused on increased customisation and personalisation.

Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence for the acceptability of integrated phone counselling and text messaging services. Research is needed that explores the impact of these widely-used integrated services on smoking cessation.

Introduction: Large disparities exist in smoking rates during pregnancy by racial/ethnic status. Aims: The current review examined controlled studies that predominantly included racial/ethnic-minority pregnant smokers for providing smoking cessation treatment. Methods: Two authors independently conducted the literature searches in the standard databases using a combination of the keywords with minority, pregnancy, smoking and cessation identifiers. Results: The searches identified nine articles that met the inclusion criteria. Only two studies exclusively targeted specific minority groups. Most of them provided some form of brief smoking cessation counselling, with two combining with incentives and one combining with pharmacotherapy. Two studies provided intensive cognitive interventions. Pregnant smokers of American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic subgroups, and Asian or Pacific Islander are under-studied. Conclusions: Future studies to treat minority pregnant smokers could target under-studied minority groups and may need to directly and intensely target smoking behaviour, address cultural and psychosocial issues in an individualised and comprehensive manner, and analyse the cost-benefit of an intervention.

Evidence highlights that an acute bout of exercise can contribute to reductions in cravings and withdrawal symptoms. However, it is unknown how low in intensity or movement one can go before these effects no longer exist. The current study examined if exercise imagery could contribute to reductions in smoking cravings and withdrawal symptoms after a short period of abstinence (CO≤6ppm). Regular smokers (N = 29) were randomized into one of three treatment groups: exercise imagery, moderate intensity exercise, or control. Each completed questionnaires including: the Strength of Desire to Smoke item (primary outcome) and the Mood and Physical Symptoms Scale (Secondary outcomes) pre- and post-treatment. A 3 (Condition) by 2 (Time) repeated measures ANOVA showed a medium non-significant interaction effect (partial η2 = .06) favouring the exercise group for reductions in desire to smoke. A large significant interaction effect (partial η2 = .24) was found for tension. Medium-to-large non-significant interaction effects favouring the exercise group were found for various withdrawal symptoms. These data, taken together, suggest that exercise imagery is not as powerful as moderate intensity exercise in reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms following temporary abstinence. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Objective: This study aims to systematically review the existing literature on the current developments and impact of smoking cessation interventions targeted toward adult smokers in low and middle income countries (LMICs).

Methods: Major databases were searched with the following selection criteria: (1) studies based on empirical findings that demonstrate the impact of smoking cessation interventions in LMICs; (2) studies conducted in or focused on LMICs; (3) studies targeted at the adult smoking population; (4) studies focused on smoking cessation component of tobacco control; (5) studies that reported on the capacity for smoking cessation intervention and current developments in LMICs; (6) published in peer review journals between 2003 and April, 2013; (7) studies written or transcribed in English.

Results: A total of 23 articles (23 studies) were included in the review. Six studies assessed the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation intervention types in some LMICs. Four studies explored the reach, adoption and institutionalisation of cessation interventions. Six studies assessed physicians’ capacity to provide cessation interventions, and seven studies provided insights on current developments.

Conclusion: Smoking cessation interventions are not readily available and affordable in LMICs. Extensive research is needed to determine the most cost-effective and culturally appropriate smoking cessation interventions for adult smokers in LMICs.

An error has been noted in the above mentioned article by Krupski et al. In the discussion section in the fourth paragraph, ‘greater than 15 cigarettes per day’ should read ‘greater than or equal to 10 cigarettes per day’.