Smoking cessation is a prolonged journey rather than a single trip.

Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable death and ill health in the developed world, and of all health interventions, those that can reduce the prevalence of smoking will have the biggest impact on health. However, smoking is highly addictive and more effective ways to help people quit are urgently required if New Zealand is going to achieve its smokefree vision by 2025. While there is strong evidence that specialist smoking cessation clinics overseas substantially reduce smoking prevalence, similar treatment clinics is not a key feature of the healthcare system in New Zealand. This viewpoint outlines the reasons why New Zealand can ill afford not to have nationwide specialist smoking-cessation clinics.