The AAP has endorsed the Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline Update on Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2008 which was released May 7th, 2008 at the American Medical Association Headquarters in Chicago.  Many organizations, including the AAP, endorsed previous guidelines upon their release and assisted in efforts to use the Guideline to assist clinicians in aiding patients who use tobacco and prompting health systems to address tobacco.

The new guidelines strengthen recommendations for tobacco cessation counseling in pediatric care, recommend counseling, pharmacotherapy and quit-line referral interventions in all health care settings, including for parents in pediatric care settings, and recommend counseling (but not pharmacotherapy) for adolescents.  The guideline and evidence now also supports pediatric care setting interventions to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke. This is a new and important positive change in the new guideline - identifying evidence that counseling is effective for adolescents and that interventions should be delivered in pediatric care settings to protect children from secondhand smoke.  In addition to the guidelines, a consumer’s guide and pocketguide are available.  These resources will assist health care professionals in their practices and provide opportunities to learn about effective cessation counseling and referral techniques.

The guideline and companion materials are available at http://www.ahrq.gov/path/tobacco.htm

How to use guidelines in practice

Richmond Center Resources for Tobacco Control