The prevalence of smoking in the U.S. has decreased primarily through smokers’ successful efforts to quit, yet cigarette smoking continues to impose a substantial health burden. Most smokers want to quit, and over 40% give up smoking for at least one day; however, few smokers successfully stop smoking each year [37]. Because there are many causal pathways that lead to nicotine dependence, it is unlikely that any single preventative intervention or pharmacological treatment to improve smoking cessation will be optimal for all individuals. Hopefully an improved understanding of the development of nicotine dependence will allow for tailored treatments to help smokers quit.
