Drawing on their expertise in smoking cessation support, the authors outline recent findings regarding the understanding of tobacco dependence and their application in the care of smokers. The stages of this care include assessing the type and level of dependence and the motivation to quit, selecting an appropriate treatment (psychological support, psychotropic medication, etc.), monitoring the smoker based on the difficulties experienced, and preventing relapse through an analysis of risk factors and the support of cognitive behavioral therapy. The role of these clinics in training hospital medical staff, in establishing networks involving general practitioners, and in their participation in collaborative clinical studies is also discussed.