Efficiency of multimodal smoking cessation therapy combining transdermal nicotine substitution with behavioral...

Effects of smoking cessation treatment combining transdermal nicotine substitution with behavioral therapy were investigated in three studies. A total of 535 smokers underwent 9 weeks of behavioral self-control treatment. For 7 weeks, groups with transdermal nicotine substitution received in addition nicotine patches that continuously released nicotine through the skin into the circulatory system. The effects of treatment were measured by daily cigarette consumption. Subjects additionally treated with transdermal nicotine substitution reached significantly higher abstinence rates by the end of treatment and during the follow-up period than control subjects. The results thus indicate enhanced therapeutic effectiveness of transdermal nicotine substitution.