Smoking and tobacco use cessation in the elderly

Smoking and tobacco use are the most used psychoactive substances globally, with an estimated population of more than one billion users across the world. It is a significant public health problem and is associated with a multitude of adverse health consequences, particularly in the elderly population, such as various types of neoplasms, cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, delayed wound healing, and cognitive deficits. It has been seen that the adverse consequences are reduced in past smokers/tobacco users who have eventually become abstinent as compared to active smokers/users. Effective treatment strategies are available to assist individuals in quitting smoking or tobacco use. It is especially important in the elderly as their mobility is reduced, and so is their motivation to quit, mainly due to the longer duration of tobacco use and insufficient knowledge about its adverse effects than the younger population. It is worthwhile to understand the impact and the measures of assessment and treatment to improve the health outcomes in the elderly. This review intends to present clinically relevant aspects of smoking and tobacco use in the elderly, including epidemiology, predictors and risk factors, adverse impact on physical health, and assessment and management of tobacco use and smoking.