Effect on smoking cessation of switching nicotine replacement therapy to over-the-counter status.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined whether the change in nicotine replacement therapy sales from prescription to over the counter (OTC) status affected smoking cessation.


METHODS
We used the 1993-1999 Massachusetts Tobacco Surveys to compare data from adult current smokers and recent quitters before and after the OTC switch.


RESULTS
No significant change over time occurred in the proportion of smokers who used nicotine replacement therapy at a quit attempt in the past year (20.1% pre-OTC vs 21.4% post-OTC), made a quit attempt in the past year (48.1% vs 45.2%), or quit smoking in the past year (8.1% vs 11.1%). Fewer non-Whites used nicotine replacement therapy after the switch (20.7% pre-OTC vs 3.2% post-OTC, P =.002), but the proportion of Whites using nicotine replacement therapy did not change significantly (20.6% vs 24.0%).


CONCLUSIONS
We observed no increase in Massachusetts smokers' rates of using nicotine replacement therapy, making a quit attempt, or stopping smoking after nicotine replacement therapy became available for OTC sale. There appear to be other barriers to the use of nicotine replacement therapy besides visiting a physician, especially among minority smokers.
Thorndike
Anne N
AN
General Medicine Division, Tobacco Research and Treatment Center, Medical Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. athorndike@partners.org
Biener
Lois
L
Rigotti
Nancy A
NA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003625:Data Collection; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control; D005260:Female; D005731:Ganglionic Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D005731:Ganglionic Stimulants; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D009538:Nicotine