Background: Smoking, which remains one of the biggest public health threats that the world faces and has reached epidemic proportions, continues to cause more than eight million deaths on average per year worldwide. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of motivational interviewing technique on the smoking urge and the success of smoking cessation in teachers.

Methods: This was an experimental (randomized controlled) study where motivational interviews were conducted with the individuals in the experimental group. The sample of the study was chosen from the teachers, who met the inclusion criteria, in the secondary schools in the central districts of Manisa. The study was completed with 30 smokers in the experimental group and 31 smokers in the control group. Questionnaire on Smoking Urges, Smoking Cessation Success Prediction Scale and Sociodemographic Data Form were used as data collecting tools. Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon test, t-test and regression analysis were used to analyse the data.

Criteria for inclusion

• Individuals who volunteered to participate in the study,
• Did not have a malignant disease or a psychiatric problem,
• Were smokers,
• Taught at schools included in the study were enrolled.

Exclusion criteria

• Those who did not volunteer to participate in the study
• Non-smokers

He groups of smoking teachers were known by the researcher. In order to provide one sided blindness in the study, the smoking teachers were not informed about the groups to which their schools were assigned and therefore the groups they were in.