Helping People Who Smoke But Arent Ready to Quit by Offering Harm Reduction Products or Nicotine Medications A Study to See How These Options Affect Smoking Habits and Quit Attempts

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to explore how harm-reduction sampling in a choice format compares to medicinal nicotine sampling in affecting smoking behavior among people who are not motivated to quit smoking. It seeks to understand the mechanisms behind sampling effects and identify factors that influence these effects. The study targets a national group of smokers who do not plan to quit within the next 30 days, addressing a gap in smoking cessation approaches that typically focus on motivated individuals. Participants are randomly assigned in a 21 ratio to either choose one of two harm-reduction productselectronic cigarettes ECIG or oral nicotine pouches ONPor to a medicinal nicotine control group receiving nicotine patches and lozenges NPL. Those in the harm-reduction group try both ECIG and ONP during virtual visits before selecting their preferred product, then receive a 4-week starter supply of that product. The control group tries nicotine patch and lozenge during a virtual lab visit and receives a 4-week supply of these products. The sampling period lasts 28 days during which participants use their assigned products. Throughout the study, participants complete daily electronic diaries tracking their cigarette smoking and product use. Follow-up assessments occur over six months to monitor smoking behavior changes, with the main outcome being biochemically verified 7-day smoking abstinence at 29 weeks. Secondary measures include attempts to quit smoking for 24 hours and reducing cigarette consumption by half. The study may inform harm reduction strategies to decrease smoking-related health risks among smokers unmotivated to quit.

Catalyzing Cigarette Smoking Cessation Through Harm Reduction Sampling Among People Unmotivated to Quit