Tobacco use continues to be a leading cause of preventable death. Smoking causes an estimated 21% of yearly cancer deaths worldwide (Danaei et al., 2005), currently kills approximately 5 million people a year, and is projected to be responsible for 10% of all deaths globally by the year 2015 (Mathers and Loncar, 2006). Despite heightened public awareness of the negative health consequences, smoking remains prevalent in the United States, and rates are increasing in some developing countries (Mackay et al., 2006). In 2005, 20.9% of US adults were current cigarette smokers, the same percentage as in 2004 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006). This lack of decline underscores the limitations of current treatments and policy approaches aimed at curbing tobacco use.
