Efficacy of a Nicotine Lozenge for Smoking Cessation

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Abstract
SMOKING IS the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the Western world.1 Accordingly, clinical guidelines call for physicians to provide counseling and treatment for all smokers.2,3 Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is the most widely used pharmacological therapy for smoking cessation.4 The efficacy of NRT has been proven in many clinical trials, approximately doubling the success rates for quitting compared with placebo.5 Nevertheless, most smoking cessation efforts are attempted without benefit of treatment,6,7 and only about 28% of US and 11% of European smokers have tried NRT7 (Katie Kemper, MBA, unpublished data, 1998; available from GlaxoSmithKline, GSK House, 980 Great West Rd, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 9GS, England). Introducing new dosage forms and more effective therapy may help bring more smokers into treatment, thus enhancing cessation rates and improving public health.