Quitting chew: results from a randomized trial using nicotine patches.

The authors examined the efficacy of transdermal nicotine replacement for cessation in 410 adult nonsmoking chewing tobacco users. Participants were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of 15-mg nicotine patch plus behavioral treatment or placebo patch plus behavioral treatment. All participants received the same behavioral treatment of 2 pharmacy visits, 2 support calls, and self-help materials. At 6 months after treatment, biochemically confirmed point-prevalence rates (no chewing in the last 7 days) in the active (38%) and placebo (34%) groups were high and not significantly different. The difference in relapse (no chewing for 7 consecutive days) between the active patch group (33%) and placebo group (48%) was significant at 6 months (p = .003). Nicotine dependence and age predicted nonrelapse at 6 months. The results suggest that nicotine replacement may improve chewers' chances of abstinence.