Real-world effectiveness of smoking cessation aids: a population survey in England with 12-month follow-up, 2015-2020.

Introduction:
This pre-proof article reports a study that examines the real-world effectiveness of popular smoking cessation aids in England using data from the Smoking Toolkit Study. The study aims to address the research question of whether use of prescription medication, NRT bought over-the-counter, e-cigarettes, and/or traditional behavioral support in a quit attempt is associated with increased chances of self-reported non-smoking relative to non-use of these aids, after adjusting for potential confounding variables.

Key Points:

* The study used data from the Smoking Toolkit Study, a monthly survey of representative samples of adults in England since 2006.
* Participants were selected if they reported being a current smoker at baseline and having made a quit attempt between baseline and 6-month follow-up.
* abstinence rates at 6-month follow-up were analyzed in relation to the cessation aid they used, controlling for their level of cigarette dependence reported at baseline.
* Results indicated that prescription medication plus either specialist behavioral support or minimal behavioral support was associated with increased odds of abstinence.
* however, use of NRT bought over-the-counter was associated with decreased odds of abstinence.
* The study also controlled for alcohol consumption, which is associated with smoking relapse and may confound estimates of effectiveness.
* The follow-up period was expanded to 12 months, and the tobacco control context in England has changed since the previous study was published.

Main Message:
The study found that use of prescription medication plus either specialist or minimal behavioral support was associated with increased odds of abstinence in a quit attempt, while use of NRT bought over-the-counter was associated with decreased odds of abstinence. These findings suggest that combining prescription medication with behavioral support may be more effective for smoking cessation than using NRT bought over-the-counter. additionally, the study controlled for alcohol consumption, which is an important confounding variable in smoking cessation studies. Overall, the findings provide valuable information for treatment providers and individuals attempting to quit smoking.

Jackson SE, Kock L, Kotz D, Brown J. Real-world effectiveness of smoking cessation aids: a population survey in England with 12-month follow-up, 2015-2020. addictive behaviors. 2022;135:107442. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107442