Using NRT to cut down helps long-term
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can help smokers unable or not ready to stop smoking to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked, according to a study reported at the World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Helsinki last week. Results showed that this approach helped 10 per
cent of smokers stop completely after two years.
The study, carried out in Denmark, followed up 411 people smoking an
average of 24 cigarettes a day who were not ready to stop completely.
They were randomised to NRT gum or placebo plus smoking cessation advice
and were advised to quit after six months. More people randomised to
gum achieved a sustained reduction in their smoking levels — 8.8
per cent of those using the gum had reduced their daily cigarette consumption
by more that 50 per cent at one year compared with only 1.5 per cent
of those given placebo gum. Nearly three times as many people using NRT
had stopped smoking completely at one year compared with the placebo
group (11.2 per cent vs 3.9 per cent), with 10 per cent maintaining cessation
at two years.
Martin Jarvis, principal scientist with Cancer Research UK’s Health
Behaviour Unit and professor of health psychology, University College
London, said: “Current approaches to nicotine addiction, which
focus on abrupt cessation, motivate only a small number of smokers who
are ready to quit. A lot of people lack confidence in their ability to
stop smoking.” He added: “If they can be encouraged to use
medicinal nicotine to reduce their smoking without immediate pressure
to quit, this will improve their confidence in their ability to stop.
This strategy offers a positive way to help smokers to quit in the longer
term.”
“Pharmacists have a central role in educating people about nicotine
replacement therapy,” Professor Jarvis pointed out. He suggested
that it might be appropriate to tell smokers not ready to stop: “NRT
will make it easier for you to reduce how many cigarettes you smoke — reducing
your addiction, helping you to move on to quitting altogether.” He
said that the idea that someone who has smoked for 20 years can stop
immediately is generally unrealistic. “Cutting down using NRT offers
a more rational approach to breaking the addiction, on the way to stopping
completely.”
Pharmacists against tobacco A global network of pharmacists
against tobacco was set up by national and international pharmaceutical
organisations
at the Helsinki conference. The network’s activities will
be co-ordinated by the International Pharmaceutical Federation
(FIP).
Details are available online (www.pharmacistsagainsttobacco.org).
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