Abstract
This study examined whether longer duration on nicotine gum promoted dependence on nicotine gum. Subjects (N=128) answering an advertisement for smoking cessation research and wanting to quit smoking cigarettes were randomly assigned to 1- or 3-month duration of nicotine gum use. Assessments were made weekly for smoking status (with biochemical verification) and withdrawal symptoms during and at the end of treatment. Follow-up was conducted at 1, 6 and 12 months to provide exploratory data on treatment outcome. The results showed minimal nicotine gum withdrawal symptoms after gum cessation with virtually no difference in gum withdrawal between the 1- and 3-month groups. Withdrawal symptoms from the nicotine gum included difficulty with concentration, increased variability on a reaction time task, and decreased vigor. The results also showed that continuous use of the gum at 1 year was observed in 1.5% of subjects and estimated to be as high as 14%. Finally, the 3-month group experienced a 2-fold increase in abstinence compared to the 1-month group, although this difference was not statistically significant. We conclude that there is minimal physical dependence on nicotine gum.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 449-456 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Psychopharmacology |
Volume | 111 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 1993 |
Keywords
- Nicotine gum
- Treatment outcome
- Withdrawal signs