Nicotine lozenges and tobacco-free snuff helped some study participants kick their habit
Although the patients had no intention of quitting their habit, nicotine lozenges and tobacco-free snuff helped smokeless tobacco users to significantly reduce their tobacco use, according to a recent study.
The study, conducted by Mayo Clinic researchers, involved 81 users of snuff or chewing tobacco. Although the patients had no intention of quitting in the next 30 days, they were asked to reduce their smokeless tobacco use by 50% in the first month and by 75% after month 2. Forty patients were provided with 4-mg nicotine lozenges, and 41 patients were given tobacco-free snuff. Treatment and behavioral counseling was administered to study participants for 8 weeks, with follow-up to 26 weeks.
Both study groups curtailed their use of smokeless tobacco. Of the 81 participants, 12% quit using snuff or chewing tobacco completely. At the 26-week follow-up, approximately one-third of study participants continued using 75% less smokeless tobacco.
According to Jon Ebbert, MD, an addiction expert and tobacco researcher at the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center, “Through the process of just reducing their tobacco, participants wanted to quit and were successful in doing so.”
The study is published in the February issue of Addictive Behaviors.
Source: Mayo Clinic.