The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense have released a new clinical practice guideline for treating tobacco use. The guideline is aimed at veterans and military service members, a population for whom tobacco and nicotine use carries significant physical and mental health consequences.
According to the guideline, varenicline and combination nicotine replacement therapy are the preferred treatment options. These recommendations are intended to give clinicians a clear framework for helping patients quit tobacco, though the source does not detail how these options compare in effectiveness or how they should be sequenced.
The guideline reflects an ongoing effort to standardize care for tobacco dependence within the military health system. It underscores the importance of addressing both the physiological and psychological dimensions of tobacco use in this specific population.