Tobacco Use Treatment: Synopsis of the 2026 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guideline.

The 2026 VA/DoD clinical practice guideline recommends strong evidence-based strategies, including pharmacotherapies and motivational interviewing, to increase tobacco abstinence among veterans and military populations.

• Why it matters: Addressing tobacco use is critical due to its high prevalence and health risks in VA and DoD populations, yet optimal treatment approaches and evidence-based guidelines have been lacking or inconsistent.
• What they did: A multidisciplinary work group reviewed literature from 2014 to 2024, developing 32 recommendations across 10 topics using GRADE methodology, with input from external experts to ensure rigor and relevance.
• The result: The guideline emphasizes FDA-approved pharmacotherapies, motivational interviewing, and extended use of certain medications, which can improve quit rates and inform clinical practice for tobacco cessation in these populations.