Recent activities-ongoing research Randomized clinical trail for the evaluation of non-pharmacological smoking cessation interventions in Syria

Randomized clinical trail for the evaluation of non-pharmacological smoking cessation interventions in Syria Smoking cessation interventions are still not widely available to all smokers, and in many developing countries there are no tested smoking cessation programs that suit the local culture and specificities of smokers. One of the main aims of the Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies (SCTS) is to develop and test a culturally sensitive smoking cessation program based on the knowledge available from other countries as well as accumulating local knowledge on smoking patterns and practices in Syria. Although evidence suggests that the best cessation rates are achieved with combining counseling with pharmacotherapy, the unavailability of most pharmacological agents used for smoking cessation in Syria, such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and bupropion, dictates the focus on behavioral counseling for the cessation work in this country. The study includes smokers in Aleppo (≥18 years of age) who are interested in quitting, have been smoking continuously for at least one year, and are smoking at least 10 cigarettes per day. It is conducted in the smoking cessation clinic at SCTS. Our specific aim is to compare between the brief motivational intervention with self-help materials and intensive behavioral counseling with four sessions, in order to test the efficacy of each of these interventions.