[Clinical practice guideline for digital smoking cessation technologies (2026 edition)].

Authors

Respiratory Disease Prevention and Control Committee of the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control and Health, Health Risk Assessment and Control Committee of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association

Published in

Zhonghua jie he he hu xi za zhi = Zhonghua jiehe he huxi zazhi = Chinese journal of tuberculosis and respiratory diseases. Volume 49. Issue 9. Pages 945-956. Sep 12, 2026.

Abstract

Given their accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and scalability, digital health technologies (DHTs) are increasingly recognized as promising adjuncts to traditional smoking cessation approaches. To address the lagging evidence updates and lack of implementation pathways in existing guidelines, a multidisciplinary panel developed this guideline by systematically synthesizing current evidence on digital smoking cessation interventions. The development process adhered to the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development and the Chinese Principles for Developing/Revising Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines (2022 Edition). The certainty of evidence and strength of recommendations were appraised utilizing the GRADE approach and the Evidence-to-Decision (EtD) framework. Ultimately, eight evidence-based recommendations were formulated for smokers aged ≥15 years with an intention to quit. The three strong recommendations and five conditional recommendations are as follows.Strong Recommendations (3 Items)1. Smartphone applications (Apps) are recommended as adjunctive tools for smoking cessation (1C). When selecting an App, priority should be given to those that incorporate professional psychological and behavioral interventions (1A).2. It is recommended that digital smoking cessation interventions, including short message service (SMS) or instant messaging (e.g., WeChat) (1B), smartphone Apps (1C), and artificial intelligence (AI) conversational systems (1B), be used in combination with traditional smoking cessation therapies (i.e., behavioral support and/or pharmacotherapy).3. When delivering digital smoking cessation interventions, multiple DHTs, including SMS or instant messaging (e.g., WeChat), web-based interventions, smartphone Apps, and AI conversational systems, should be integrated to construct a comprehensive digital smoking cessation platform. This platform should be seamlessly embedded within traditional smoking cessation services, routine clinical practice, and telemedicine systems to establish an integrated "online-plus-offline" collaborative care model (1C).Conditional Recommendations (5 Items)1. SMS or instant messaging (e.g., WeChat) is suggested as a supportive tool for smoking cessation (2B).2. Web-based interventions are suggested to serve as portals and adjunctive modules within a comprehensive digital smoking cessation system, used in combination with other DHTs (2D).3. AI conversational systems are suggested as adjunctive tools for smoking cessation support (2B).4. It is suggested that digital smoking cessation technologies (e.g., smartphone Apps and AI conversational systems) be developed in accordance with evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and psychological and behavioral change theories. These tools should emphasize interactivity and deliver phased, personalized interventions to enhance user adherence and cessation efficacy (2C).5. While digital smoking cessation interventions demonstrate a favorable safety profile, active monitoring of potential risks, particularly concerning mental health, data security, and healthcare resource allocation, is suggested during implementation (2C).This guideline systematically establishes standardized pathways for the development, clinical integration and application of digital smoking cessation interventions across various clinical and public health settings. It provides a robust evidence base to inform regulatory oversight and optimize resource allocation within comprehensive tobacco control frameworks. Ultimately, these recommendations aim to facilitate the appropriate adoption of DHTs for smoking cessation, thereby contributing to a reduction in population-level smoking prevalence and mitigating the global burden of tobacco-related diseases.

PMID:
42706202
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 08 Sep 2026.

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