Cessation

Cessation refers to the act or process of stopping something that was previously ongoing. It can apply to activities, conditions, or states. The term is used across fields; in medicine, cessation of a function means it has stopped: cessation of breathing (apnea), cessation of circulation, cessation of life (death). Distinguish clinical cessation (no clinical signs of life) from biological cessation (cellular metabolism stops). In respiratory therapy and intensive care, assisted ventilation is used to prevent or address cessation of breathing.

In pharmacology and public health, cessation often refers to quitting a habit or substance use; most commonly smoking cessation, which involves behavioral support and pharmacotherapy to stop tobacco use. It is a major public health goal because cessation reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory illness.

In other contexts, cessation can refer to the termination of a process, program, or operation, such as cessation of business, operations, or communications. The term can also appear in legal or regulatory language to describe the cessation date of a permit or authorization.

Etymology: from Latin cessatio, from cessare 'to yield, to stop'. Synonyms include termination, discontinuation, halt, and stop; a key distinction is that cessation emphasizes the act of stopping rather than the outcome.