Cue-induced cravings for cigarettes

Cigarette craving is usually thought of as being a product of abstinence from smoking. However, cigarette craving can also be evoked through exposure to situational cues that are associated with tobacco use. Such cue-induced cravings can be reliably produced in laboratory settings, and in observational field studies, they have been found to influence smoking behavior. It is the latter finding that is perhaps most clinically relevant, as research indicates that cue-induced cravings are a contributing factor in a substantial proportion of smoking lapses during quit attempts. In this review, we examine the literature regarding smoking cue-induced craving. Particular focus is given to recent discoveries and to studies that have evaluated the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions on treating cue-induced cravings.