Three year continuous abstinence in a smoking cessation study using the nicotine transdermal patch
- aSchool of Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia, bNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, cDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Associate Professor Richmond; email: r.richmond{at}unsw.edu.au
- Accepted 3 June 1997
Abstract
A total of 305 subjects from Sydney were randomly allocated to receive either an active (24 hour transdermal nicotine patch over a 10 week course) or placebo nicotine patch. All subjects participated in a multicomponent cognitive–behavioural smoking cessation programme over five weeks in two-hour group sessions. The continuous abstinence rates at three years (validated by expired carbon monoxide) were 13.8% for the active group and 5.2% for placebo group (p = 0.011). The active nicotine patch with behavioural therapy achieved more than double the abstinence rates early in treatment compared with placebo and this difference was maintained throughout the three year follow up.
