Does acceptance and commitment therapy help people quit smoking?

01

What is accepted—and what still changes

Acceptance concerns thoughts, feelings and other internal experiences rather than automatically acting on them or fighting to erase them. ACT also includes chosen values and action consistent with those values. Accepting ‘I want a cigarette’ is therefore not accepting a command to smoke, abandoning a quit goal or saying a difficult experience is harmless.

Mindfulness is one part of this model, not its whole definition. Neither a moment of noticing nor a motivational slogan reproduces a researched ACT programme. This explanation is not an individual psychotherapy exercise or a request to tolerate symptoms instead of seeking care.

[1]

02

Two newer reviews answer different comparisons

The December 2025 general ACT review searched to 26 March 2025 and included 23 trials with 8,951 adult smokers. It reported favourable immediate and short-term results across mixed controls. Its longer-term favourable findings were against no-treatment controls; that is not a finding that ACT beats established support over the same period. The authors warn that limited evidence quality weakens the conclusions.

A separate 2025 review restricted technology-based ACT to active comparators. It found a favourable cessation result at up to three months, but no statistically significant difference at three-to-six or twelve months. ‘No significant difference’ does not establish equivalence or prove that neither approach helps. These reviews may include some of the same studies: do not add their participant counts as if they were independent trials.

[2][3]

03

A concrete distinction without turning it into a cure

Fictional reading example: after a stressful call, someone notices ‘I need a cigarette’, names a value—keeping this break smoke-free—and considers a small action, such as messaging a support person. The thought may still be present. The point is the difference between having an experience and choosing a behaviour, not a promise to remove the craving.

This invented example is not a trial, a complete ACT session or a proven standalone technique. The research concerns actual programmes with defined content and delivery, not any diary, app or course that uses the word ‘acceptance’.

[1]

04

Ask about the programme, not just the label

Before enrolling, ask who delivers it and with what relevant qualifications; which smoking-specific programme is used; what other support is included; and what smoking outcome was measured, against which comparator and when. Evidence about a particular digital intervention cannot be transferred to another product just because both use a phone.

NHS Better Health provides stop-smoking service routes in England. Elsewhere consult a qualified local service. Confirm whether ACT is available, how it fits with other support, access and cost. This page does not select psychotherapy or medicines, replace care or give a treatment plan for young people, pregnancy or complex needs. No personal history needs to be entered here.

[2][3][4]

05

What to keep in mind

• Acceptance and chosen action belong together.
• Retain comparator and follow-up when reading a benefit claim.
• Ask for the actual programme and local qualified support.