The health consequences of smoking have become evident since early 1960s and numerous techniques to help smokers to become nonsmokers have started to develop. "The Behavioral Aspects of Smoking", a report of the Surgeon General first published in 1979 talks in detail about methods aided to assist smokers in the process of cessation. Sometimes it is very hard to decide which intervention strategy is the best and most useful because they vary from gimmicks to formal programs and clinics.

The report is focused on the effort to define what strategy, method or program is the most effective in producing long-term and positive changes in smoking behavior. The first part of the report deals with the problem the reviewer has to face of sorting through outcome research that is permeated by many methodological deficiencies. The most pervasive problem in the evaluation of the outcome data from smoking cessation programs is...