SMOKE, a computer program written in BASIC, uses interactive direct mail to assist smokers who do not wish to attend formal face-to-face smoking cessation therapy. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated in a yearlong study. Of 1044 smokers who expressed interest in smoking treatment, only 11.2% wished to participate in formal therapy. The rest received mail-based treatment. A total of 21.2% of the subjects who were assigned to the computerized direct mail group participated in this treatment. The abstinence rates of the participants in the computerized direct mail and face-to-face groups were similar. The results suggest that computerized direct mail could be a useful addition to smoking cessation campaigns.
Reports of nonsmoking are usually validated by obtaining breath carbon monoxide levels or saliva thiocyanate levels. However, it is often not convenient to obtain such samples from persons who participated in a smoking cessation program long in the past. Obtaining the samples through the mail could help solve this problem, but it is possible that the time the samples spend in the uncontrolled environment of the mails might invalidate the measured levels. The present study was to see whether that possibility was indeed a real comcern. Breath and saliva samples were collected in airtight containers and allowed to remain in an uncontrolled environment (60°–80° F) for 72 hours, 24 hours, and less than one hour. The results suggest that the time spent in this environment had minimal impact on the carbon monoxide or thiocyanate levels in smokers' or nonsmokers' samples. Even after 72 hours, the samples could differentiate smokers from nonsmokers with little overlap. It appears that breath and saliva samples can be conveniently obtained through the mail without sacrificing their usefulness.
THE purine bases of normal human urine have been separated, identified and quantitatively estimated1–3. During these investigations several additional unknown compounds appeared with the purines; they were separated and designated E, W, S and Z.
