The Wellington Hospital smoking cessation clinic

We evaluated a hospital based stop smoking programme which includes an initial assessment followed by six once-weekly group meetings. Optional use of nicotine-containing chewing gum was chosen by 50% of subjects. The subject's abstinence was validated by personal interviews and measurement of blood thiocyanate and/or expired breath carbon monoxide levels. Ten intakes totalling 195 subjects have been followed for one year. Abstinence rates at the end of the six week course varied from 40% to 75% with a mean of 56%. At three months intakes had abstinence rates of 18% to 63% with a mean of 40%. At six months rates varied from 14% to 53% with a mean of 36% and at twelve months 5% to 47% with a mean of 32% were abstinent. Twenty-nine percent of those who elected to use Nicorette were abstinent at one year.