Research

Personalized approach to smoking cessation may be reality in 3-5 years
According to new research, information about a smoker’s genetic makeup and their smoking habits could be used to predict which nicotine replacement therapy will be the most effective in helping them quit smoking. Previous research on 520,000 genetic markers showed that genetic patterns exist that influence how well individuals respond to different therapies. This study randomly assigned 479 smokers, categorized as high- or low-dependence based on a questionnaire, to wear nicotine patches that delivered either a high dose or standard dose of nicotine. A genetic analysis was also performed to assess the genetic likelihood of success in quitting. After a six-month follow up period, investigators were able to confirm which smokers were more successful on the different dosages. The data showed that the genetic analysis allowed the researchers to successfully predict which subjects would abstain from smoking. The researchers believe that a test to guide clinicians in treatment and dosing selection could be developed in three to five years. Read more here, or click here to download the full article, which was published in Molecular Medicine.

Quitting smoking may minimize harmful bacteria and replenish healthy bacteria
A new study shows that smoking cessation leads to a decrease in the prevalence of harmful oral pathogens and an increase in beneficial bacteria among patients with chronic gum disease. Researchers collected plaque samples from 22 smokers undergoing nonsurgical periodontal therapy, half of whom quit smoking during the study and half who did not, and then collected a second set of samples one year later. They found that samples from patients that abstained from smoking had decreased levels of various bacterial pathogens and increased levels of health-associated bacterial species compared to the baseline samples. The researchers note that these findings underline the importance of smoking cessation counseling during periodontal therapy in order to suppress colonization of pathogens. Click here to read more, or here to read the study abstract, published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

Reduced NRT supplies through a quitline: Smoking cessation differences
A new study has shown that reducing the duration of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) from eight weeks to four weeks results in a one-fourth reduction in smoking abstinence rates. The study included 1,710 light to moderate smokers who called the Colorado QuitLine and requested free NRT between July and October 2006, when an eight-week supply of NRT was given, and July and October 2007, when a four-week supply was provided. Heavy smokers eligible for eight weeks of NRT during both time periods were used as a control group. The results indicate that abstinence from smoking decreased in light to moderate smokers from 39.3% to 29.9% under the reduced NRT protocol, while there was no difference in rates among heavy smokers. The researchers suggest that more studies should be done to assess the cost-effectiveness of reducing NRT protocols. Read the abstract of the study, found in Nicotine & Tobacco Research, here.

Decline in Wisconsin smoking rates linked with cessation outreach program (WI)
Smoking rates in Wisconsin have decreased nearly 20% since 2000, when the Wisconsin Cessation Outreach Program was launched. The program used five strategies: provide training and assistance for clinicians, provide technical assistance for health systems, include cessation treatments under insurance benefits and reduce other barriers to treatment, provide a quit line that is integrated into medical services, and reduce disparities by increasing treatment availability. Successful implementation of these strategies has led to several positive outcomes, such as a decrease in smoking among adults (from 24% in 2000 to 20% in 2010), an increase in quit attempts (from 46% of smokers in 2003 to 59% in 2008), and an increase in insured residents having a health plan that covered cessation medication (68% in 2002 to 88% in 2006). Click here to read a summary of the findings, or click here to read the full article in the Wisconsin Medical Journal.

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Reports

New online smoking cessation study enrolling through summer
Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has launched a new online study to help people quit smoking. The study, called WebQuit, is enrolling adult smokers nationwide this summer. Participation is free to eligible individuals. The goal of WebQuit is to improve the effectiveness of online smoking-cessation programs. Study participants will not be paid, but they will receive interactive tools for dealing more effectively with urges to smoke. They also will receive step-by-step guides for quitting smoking, personalized plans for quitting and staying quit, and electronic links for reaching one-on-one expert help for quitting. Involvement in the study will entail completing online questionnaires, including several follow-up surveys. Eligible participants must be daily smokers who are comfortable using the Internet and are at least 18 years old, among other requirements. Click here for more information. Potential participants should be referred to the WebQuit study’s website, www.webquit.com.

Innovative Become an EX quit smoking program goes mobile
Public health group Legacy has teamed up with Apperian Inc. to develop an app for the iPhone that will help smokers to “re-learn” their lives without cigarettes. The Become An Ex App allows smokers to have a portable version of the popular three-step web-based EX plan, which is designed to help them deal with smoking cravings. Games, videos, and news articles are available through the app, which works to re-focus smokers’ minds on things other than cigarettes. The app can also be used to monitor smoking behavior, help smokers prepare for cravings, and enable users connect to an online community where smokers share their successes and challenges. Click here to read more, or learn more about the EX plan on the website.

Smoking "Quit Line" offers free nicotine replacement therapy (GA)
Georgia’s Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Program has relaunched a program that provides uninsured residents of five health districts with free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) through the state Quit Line. Before being given a four-week supply of either nicotine gum or patches, callers indicating the desire to quit within thirty days will be required to enroll in a program in which counselors will call them several times a week to assess their progress. Enrollees will also be provided with educational materials about quitting smoking and invitations to participate in cessation workshops. The NRT will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention covering the cost of 700 doses. Georgia first implemented this program in five of the state’s eighteen health districts in 2008, resulting in a 600% jump in Quit Line usage during that time. Click here to read more, or read the press release from the Georgia Department of Community Health.

Hoosiers offered cash to stop smoking (IN)
Indiana’s quitline, Quit Now Indiana, is holding a contest intended to promote smoking cessation in the state, where 23% of adults are smokers. Contestants will be challenged to go the entire month of September without smoking in order to be entered into a random drawing to win between $1,000 and $2,500. Once selected, each winner must take either a saliva or urine test to verify that they have abstained from tobacco use for the month. Click here to read more, click here to learn how to enter, or view the contest rules.

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International

The use of snus for quitting smoking compared with medicinal products (Norway)
Research conducted in Norway suggests that using snus or varenicline to quit smoking increases the probability of complete smoking cessation compared to nicotine gum. A questionnaire was e-mailed to 3,583 former and current male smokers to identify methods used to quit smoking and the outcomes of their most recent quit attempt. The data show that the odds of reporting smoking abstinence were 4.95 times higher for those who used varenicline and 2.68 times higher for snus users, compared to those who used a nicotine gum. Of those who used snus to quit, 62.4% reported still using it daily (43.8%) or occasionally (18.6%), compared to the 9.5% of people who continued to used nicotine replacement products. This suggests that while using snus to quit smoking may increase the probability of smoking cessation, it also maintains nicotine dependence. Read the abstract of the study, published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

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