Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Nicotrol nicotine inhaler as an aid to smoking cessation in over-the-counter (OTC) versus health-care-provider (HCP) conditions.
Methods: Five hundred twenty healthy smokers were randomized to the treatment conditions and followed for a year.
Results: At most follow-up visits, abstinence rates for the HCP group were 2 to 3 times those observed in the OTC group. Abstinence at 1 year was.77% in the OTC condition versus 3.08% in the HCP condition [P<.01]. Inhaler use was low.
Conclusions: OTC nicotine inhaler appears to be ineffective, though quit rates are improved with HCP assistance.