Nicotine Addiction Treatment Project

Background

Quitting smoking remains one of the most important measures for reducing smoking-caused death and disease in Western Australia. There is no safe level of consumption or exposure to tobacco smoke.

WA Health has launched this innovative approach to tackling smoking in conjunction with the Australian Government and WA GP Network.

The project

This project will approach smoking as an addiction rather than the traditional approach of treating it as a lifestyle choice.

This will include addressing the cultural, pharmacological and behavioural factors that affect smoking uptake, the nature of nicotine dependence, the reinforcement of continued smoking and the process of smoking cessation. 

We will focus on initiatives for groups among whom the burden of disease and disadvantage is particularly high and will work in partnership to make better use of collective skills and resources.
The program will be trialled in two locations (Goldfields and Rockingham / Kwinana) by the local Division of General Practice in collaboration with the Population Health Unit of the Area Health Service.

A Project Manager started in June 2008 to lead this work.