Scope and Target Population:

To define the appropriate interventions in the clinic setting for identification of tobacco-use status in adults and mature adolescents,and provision of counseling and assistance in tobacco-use cessation.

Clinical Highlights and Recommendations:

1. Ask about tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure at every opportunity.
2. Advise all tobacco users to stop.
   
3. Assess tobacco user's willingness to make a quit attempt.
   
4. Assist tobacco user's efforts to quit.
   
5. Arrange for follow-up.

Priority Aims and Suggested Measure:

1. Improve the proportion of patients whose current use of tobacco or exposure to tobacco smoke is obvious in the chart at any primary care clinic encounter.
   
2. Improve the proportion of tobacco-users whose interest in quitting is assessed or who receive cessation advice at any clinic encounter.
   
3. Increase the number of tobacco-using patients who quit.
   
4. Improve the proportion of clinic-visiting tobacco users setting a quit date who received self-help materials along with telephone help-line information.