We found that while both types of home-based counseling resulted in individuals quitting smoking or making positive strides towards quitting, those in the motivational enhancement group outperformed the standard care group in every measure.

We communicated to the patients that the carbon monoxide they inhale from smoking cigarettes is the same poisonous gas that comes out of the tail pipe of their car.

Patients that enroll in smoking cessation programs on their own are highly motivated to quit, but represent a very small portion of the smoking population. Using an existing health channel to reach smokers who vary in their motivation level to quit could have a significant public health impact.