Smoking Cessation, Smoking Reduction, and Delayed Quitting among Smokers Given Nicotine Patches and a Self–Help Pamphlet

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Abstract
Over–the–counter nicotine replacement raises questions regarding its “real world”; efficacy. This was an open–label, prospective study of 223 smokers who received 42 free nicotine patches and a self–help booklet via shopping mall distribution. The overall quit rate 6 months following distribution of the nicotine patches was 22% (50/223), almost the same quit rate found 6 weeks following patch distribution (21%, 47/223). Twelve percent (27/223) were abstinent at both 6 weeks and 6 months. Among the 83 participants who did not quit, cigarettes smoked per day dropped from 28 to 18. A substantial subgroup of quitters (14%) who, although still smoking at 6 weeks, were smoke free at 6 months, and it appears they had purposefully delayed a serious quit attempt. These results support the usefulness of nicotine patches in helping smokers quit, even with only minimal intervention such as a self–help manual.