The need for smoking cessation counselling and nicotine withdrawal therapy for hospitalised patients: A smoking point prevalence study at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.

Better identification of inpatient smokers is required, and all should be given smoking cessation advice. Withdrawal symptoms can be severe in some patients, and those who are not interested in stopping smoking should allowed to smoke outside or be provided with nicotine withdrawal pharmacotherapy while in hospital. Those who are willing to quit should be supported as well as possible, including provision of nicotine replacement therapy or varenicline, and followed up after discharge as best practice.