Adding a nicotine blocking agent to cigarette tapering.

A non-pharmacologic nicotine-blocking agent (Accu Drop; AD) was preliminarily tested in combination with cigarette tapering and brief counseling (C) in a random assignment, double-blind, placebo controlled, 6-week smoking cessation study (n = 60). It was hypothesized that the AD&C group would have higher rates of treatment completion and smoking abstinence than the placebo drop group plus counseling (PD&C). The participants were 37 women and 23 men averaging 24 cigarettes per day along with high Fagerstrom nicotine dependence scores (FTQ ∼ 7) and high plasma cotinine levels (> 250ng/ml). There were no significant differences between groups for withdrawal scores, treatment completion (55%), or average number of sessions attended. Point prevalence followup evaluations were obtained 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months post projected treatment completion. Biochemically confirmed abstinence rates at followups did not differ between treatment groups (AD&C = 10%, 13%, 10% vs. PD&C = 3%, 10%, 13%). There is not enough evidence to suggest a Stage II trial.