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Background: Tobacco abstinence measure in smoking cessation interventions is the key methodological issue. We can find different methods of short- and long-term tobacco abstinence measure and outcome comparisons in the scientific papers. The methodological guidelines have been provided by recommendations of the Society of Research on Nicotine and Tobacco 2001, 2002, 2003 and the Society for the Study of Addiction 2005., Objective: Preparation of the rules of tobacco abstinence rates calculation from extremely conservative to extremely liberal ones according to recommendations and comparison of own research and Tom Baker Cancer Centre Study TBC Calgary, Canada outcomes., Methods: The own empirical data gathered in 2001-2007 for 627 participants of group-based smoking cessation program with follow-up in 2008-2009 and the TBC data gathered in 1986-1990 for 971 participants of group behavior intervention with follow-up in 1995 were used in the analyses., Results: Tobacco abstinence rates were differentiated depending on an observation period (range from 12% do 17%) and the methodological approach from extremely conservative to liberal one (range from 17% to 30%)., Conclusions: To improve the scientific quality of long-term outcomes of smoking cessation interventions and comparisons the list of ten key methodological questions were prepared for researcher to answer them on the conceptualization stage of the project. Further research regarding smoking cessation interventions using methodological guidelines of the SRNT Work Groups recommendations are needed.

Tobacco was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus, who discovered it in Cuba in October, 1492. Spread of tobacco consumption was initiated by the French diplomat Jean Nicot de Villemain, who in 1560 recommended it in the form of powdered tobacco leaves to the French Queen Catherine de Medice to combat her migraine headaches, and introduced the term Nicotiana tobaccum. Tobacco consumption greatly rose after the I World War, and after the II World War it became very common, especially among man. In the first half of the 20th century the sale of tobacco products rose by 61%, and cigarettes dominated the market of tobacco products. At the beginning of the 20th century cigarettes constituted only 2% of the total sale of tobacco products, while in the middle of the 20th century--more than 80%. Although the first epidemiological papers indicating that "smoking is connected with the shortening of life span" were published in the first half of the 20th century, not until 1950 did Hill and Doll in Great Britain, and Wynder and Graham in USA in 1951 show a statistically significant correlation between cigarettes smoking and lung cancer occurrence. Many controversies according the use of tobacco accompanied it from the beginning of its presence in Europe. The conflicting opinions according to its influence to health coexisted in the 16th to 19th centuries. In this period, especially in the 19th century dominated moral and religious arguments against tobacco. In the 20th century however, and particularly in its second part, development in medical research was enhanced by civil voluntary actions against advertisement and passive smoking. This lead to the significant limitation of tobacco expansion in Europe, USA and Canada in the end of the 20th century.