title: Smoking intervention: combination therapy using nicotine chewing gum and the American Lung Association's "Freedom from Smoking" manuals.
abstract: The smoking cessation efficacy of a two-session group program using the American Lung Association's "Freedom from Smoking" self-help manuals, nicotine gum, and brief, repeated professional supervision was estimated in an uncontrolled clinical trial. Of the 39 participants, 12 (31%) remained cigarette free for 1 year, and 4 others (10%) had not smoked during the 3 months prior to the 1-year follow-up. Claims of cessation were verified by expired-air carbon monoxide measurement. Nearly all successful abstainers were able to achieve 48-hr cessation during their first week using the gum. This finding suggests that nicotine gum is best used to help the smoker quit abruptly, rather than as an aid in a tapering-off strategy. This study's smoking intervention program appears to provide a relatively low-cost method of improving the success rates among smokers who wish to quit.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002638:Chewing Gum; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases; D008297:Male; D008370:Manuals as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014481:United States; D014837:Voluntary Health Agencies
chemical_list: D002638:Chewing Gum; D009538:Nicotine