Study: Quitting Smoking Cold Turkey is More Effective

Quitting cigarette smoking “cold turkey” is more effective than gradually reducing smoking over time, according to a recent study.

While most guidelines on smoking cessation advise an abrupt end to smoking, many smokers attempt to quit gradually.
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In order to better understand which method is more effective, researchers conducted a randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial involving 697 adult smokers. Participants were assigned to either quit abruptly or to reduce smoking gradually by 75% over 2 weeks before quitting fully. Both groups received behavioral support and nicotine replacement options before and after quitting.

After 4 weeks, 39.2% of participants in the gradual group were abstinent, compared with 49% of those in the abrupt group. At 6 months, 15.5% of those in the gradual group were abstinent, compared with 22% of those in the abrupt group.

“Quitting smoking abruptly is more likely to lead to lasting abstinence than cutting down first, even for smokers who initially prefer to quit by gradual reduction,” they concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Lindson-Hawley N, Banting M, West R, et al. Gradual versus abrupt smoking cessation: a randomized, controlled noninferiority trial. Ann Intern Med. 15 March 2016 [epub ahead of print]. doi:10.7326/M14-2805.