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. 2002 Mar;92(3):437-42.
doi: 10.2105/ajph.92.3.437.

Effect on smoking cessation of switching nicotine replacement therapy to over-the-counter status

Anne N Thorndike  1 , Lois Biener, Nancy A Rigotti
Affiliations

Effect on smoking cessation of switching nicotine replacement therapy to over-the-counter status

Anne N Thorndike et al. Am J Public Health. 2002 Mar.

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined whether the change in nicotine replacement therapy sales from prescription to over the counter (OTC) status affected smoking cessation.

Methods: We used the 1993-1999 Massachusetts Tobacco Surveys to compare data from adult current smokers and recent quitters before and after the OTC switch.

Results: No significant change over time occurred in the proportion of smokers who used nicotine replacement therapy at a quit attempt in the past year (20.1% pre-OTC vs 21.4% post-OTC), made a quit attempt in the past year (48.1% vs 45.2%), or quit smoking in the past year (8.1% vs 11.1%). Fewer non-Whites used nicotine replacement therapy after the switch (20.7% pre-OTC vs 3.2% post-OTC, P =.002), but the proportion of Whites using nicotine replacement therapy did not change significantly (20.6% vs 24.0%).

Conclusions: We observed no increase in Massachusetts smokers' rates of using nicotine replacement therapy, making a quit attempt, or stopping smoking after nicotine replacement therapy became available for OTC sale. There appear to be other barriers to the use of nicotine replacement therapy besides visiting a physician, especially among minority smokers.

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Figures

FIGURE 1—
FIGURE 1—
Successful quitting among past-year smokers who made a quit attempt in the past year.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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