Chinanews client, Beijing, May 19th (Reporter Zhang Ni) May 31, 2021 is the 34th World No Tobacco Day, and this year's theme is "Pledge to Quit Smoking".

In China, due to the awareness of the dangers of tobacco and the lack of popularization of smoking cessation services, the rate of attempts to quit smoking is low.

Data from the China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that most of the domestic smokers who try to quit have not used any smoking cessation services. In addition, how to improve the accessibility of smoking cessation drugs also needs to be resolved urgently.

Data map photo by Chen Chao

Ninety percent of quitters rely on willpower to "do quit"?

　　China is a major tobacco producer and consumer in the world, with a huge number of smokers, and the burden of diseases caused by tobacco has brought severe challenges to medical services and medical security systems.

　　Quitting smoking is the only effective way to reduce the burden of disease and premature death associated with tobacco use among smokers.

"Healthy China Travel (2019-2030)" proposed that by 2022 and 2030, the smoking rate of people over 15 years old will be lower than 24.5% and 20%, respectively.

However, at present, due to social awareness of the dangers of tobacco and the lack of popularization of smoking cessation services, the rate of smoking cessation attempts by smokers is not high.

　　On the 18th, at the "2021 World No Tobacco Day Smoking Advocacy Campaign" jointly organized by the Xintan Health Development Research Center and the Beijing Smoking Control Association, Xiao Lin, deputy director of the Tobacco Control Office of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, introduced such a set of figures: 19.8% of smokers have tried to quit smoking in the past 12 months, but among those who have tried to quit smoking in the past 12 months, 90.1% have not used any smoking cessation services.

　　"This means that ninety people are relying on willpower to'do quit'." Xiao Lin said.

　　As early as 2008, the former Ministry of Health issued the "Smoke-free Medical and Health Institution Standards (Trial)".

It clearly requires that medical staff master the knowledge, methods and skills of tobacco control, and provide at least brief dissuasion instructions to smokers.

　　However, data from the China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that among those who have tried to quit smoking in the past 12 months, only 4.6% have used medications and 3.2% have used counseling or advice.

In addition, only 0.3% of them have called the smoking cessation line.

　　"A number of studies have shown that the smoking cessation rate of short-term smoking cessation interventions is significantly higher than that of non-interventionists. In addition, the short-term smoking cessation intervention has improved the cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation services due to its short time and simple operation.

　　Xiao Lin emphasized that if the smoking cessation service is a triangular pyramid type, the doctor's brief cessation advice is the foundation of the smoking cessation service, and efforts should be focused on this part of the service.

Data map photo by Chen Chao

Smoking cessation drugs have not yet entered medical insurance experts call for improved drug accessibility

　　As early as 1998, the World Health Organization listed tobacco dependence as a chronic addictive disease as an international disease.

　　"At present, 73 countries have national smoking cessation strategies and 82 countries have clinical smoking cessation guidelines." Cui Xiaobo, executive vice president and secretary general of the Beijing Tobacco Control Association, introduced.

　　But in the opinion of experts, compared with other countries, the proportion of Chinese smokers who want to quit smoking is not high.

In addition, for many smokers, the availability of smoking cessation drugs needs to be improved.

　　The "Interim Measures for the Administration of Drugs for Basic Medical Insurance" implemented on September 1, 2020 clarified several types of drugs that are not included in the "Drug List", including drugs that have effects on smoking cessation and alcohol cessation.

　　In an interview with reporters, Cui Xiaobo said that smoking cessation is a first-level measure to prevent and treat various cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and malignant tumors, but the current medical insurance reimbursement has not given the “green light” to smoking cessation drugs, which has a great effect on smokers. influences.

　　Therefore, Cui Xiaobo suggested that tobacco dependence should be included in the management scope of outpatient chronic diseases and formulate a policy research scope that includes smoking cessation treatment in medical insurance; smoking cessation should be included in the outpatient cost of diseases with long treatment cycles, great health damage, and heavy cost burdens. The scope of mutual aid protection.

　　In addition, he believes that smoking cessation drugs can be included in designated retail pharmacies, to support the settlement and dispensing of external prescriptions in designated retail pharmacies, to give full play to the convenience and accessibility of designated retail pharmacies, and to explore smoking cessation as a qualified "Internet +" "Medical service coverage.

　　Xiao Lin also emphasized that to do a good job of smoking cessation, it is necessary to integrate multiple smoking cessation service models, strengthen the construction of smoking cessation service system, and integrate smoking cessation into daily medical and health services.

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