Abstract
Tobacco dependence causes every sixth death in the Czech Republic and is associated with diseases of the whole body. Treatment of tobacco dependence should be a standard part of clinical care to the extent of time available - from brief intervention at each clinical contact with patients up to intensive treatment.
It includes psycho-socio-behavioural support and pharmacotherapy. It should apply to all professions in clinical medicine - as recommended by WHO mainly doctors, nurses, pharmacists and dentists, and should be covered within health care systems.
Economically, it is one of the most cost-effective interventions in medicine. In our population over 15 years about 30 % smokes (about 2.2 million people), diagnosis F17 relates to approximately 1.75 million people (about 80 % of smokers).