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Article History

Received: 8 November 2018

Accepted: 27 June 2019

First Online: 27 July 2019

Ethics approval and consent to participate

: The study protocol has been ethically approved by the local ethics committee of the Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany (5999R). Prior to the data collection and after full oral and written information on study processes, purposes, and on data protection, all GPs and patients who will be included in the study will be asked to give written informed consent to participate in the study.

: Not applicable.

: SK, VL, JH, CF, SB, DL, OR, WV, and LH have no conflict of interest to declare.DK received an unrestricted grant from Pfizer in 2009 for an investigator-initiated trial on the effectiveness of practice nurse counselling and varenicline for smoking cessation in primary care (Dutch Trial Register NTR3067). HM has received honoraria for speaking at smoking cessation meetings and attending advisory board meetings that have been organised by Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. TR has received honoraria from Pfizer, Novartis, Glaxo Smith Kline, Astra Zeneca and Roche as a speaker in activities related to continuing medical education. He has also received financial support for investigator-initiated trials from Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. RW has undertaken research and consultancy for companies that develop and manufacture smoking cessation medications (Pfizer, Johnsons & Johnson, and Glaxo Smith Kline). He is an advisor to the UK’s National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training. All authors declare no financial links with tobacco companies or e-cigarette manufacturers or their representatives.