The use of anticholinergic drugs for smoking cessation: a pilot study

A pilot study of 500 cases drawn from a total population of 3,700 patients reports on a smoking cessation program in a private practice clinic. A new protocol offers promise for treatment based on an initial injected dose of atropine, scopolamine, and chlorpromazine administered subcutaneously to eliminate physiological withdrawal symptoms, followed by a 2-week oral medication regimen, and follow-up every 2 months for a 12-month period. The study held that 92.1% of the male patients and 80.7% of female patients remained nonsmokers at the end of 2 months; 42.3% of the men and 36.9% of the women remained nonsmokers at the end of 12 months, a cumulative total of 39.8%.