Helping the Hard-Core Smoker : A Clinician's Guide

Rating:
Summary: A comprehensive, user-friendly text
Review: This is a well-written, comprehensive guide that every clinician treating tobacco dependence should read. The chapters cover both theoretical and practical issues in the treatment and prevention of tobacco dependence. This book also addresses special populations of smokers: adolescents, women, the elderly, and those with comorbid disorders. Everything from group psychotherapy to nicotine and neurotransmitters is covered in this guide, and all information is based on the latest empirical research in the field. I highly recommend this text, and I refer to mine often.

Rating:
Summary: An introduction to co-morbidity and smoking
Review: This very timely look at hardcore smokers and the particular difficulties that they often face when attempting to stop smoking is addressed in this book. It raises the question or co-morbid conditions that most probably affect the outcome for smokers who are truly attempting to quit but don't succeed for reasons of unaddressed co-morbidity. Unfortunately very few health professionals are aware that smokers very often suffer from hidden or asymptomatic conditions. This book begins to touch on an emerging area of study that holds much promise for the dependant individual. Why 4 stars and not 5? There is a wealth of information available that was not touched upon in this book and although still at the benchside I believe that it is time for a paradigm shift with respect to smoking and dependency ( versus self-medication ). All in all it's a good place to start opening horizons.