title: Public attitudes toward the treatment of nicotine addiction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The increasing use of medications for smoking cessation has concerned some commentators, who believe that emphasizing medications for smoking cessation may lead to a belief that there are "magic bullets" for nicotine dependence, or alternatively that unassisted quitting is very difficult, thereby discouraging such quit attempts. There is little evidence on which to test these speculations. This article aims to address this gap by examining public understandings of nicotine addiction in order to assess the extent to which medical explanations of smoking have permeated public beliefs about treatments for smoking cessation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interviews were conducted with a representative sample of 55 members of the Australian public that included smokers, ex-smokers, and nonsmokers. The data were analyzed using a standard content analytic method to identify recurrent themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed that although pharmacological cessation aids were the most commonly mentioned method for quitting, they were often recommended alongside methods such as behavioral strategies or counseling. Unassisted quitting was mentioned frequently, but there were mixed views on its effectiveness. Seeing a doctor was rarely recommended. Two common themes were that smokers had to "really want to quit," and that the best treatment method would depend on the individual.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical discourse of smoking cessation does not dominate public understandings of smoking cessation. Rather, ideas about individual choice, motivation, and willpower are emphasized.
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4029, Australia. k.morphett@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Kylie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morphett
authors.forename: Jayne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lucke
authors.forename: Coral
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gartner
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meurk
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy