Effects of rapid smoking on post-cessation urges to smoke

Abstract

Context: Rapid smoking (RS) is a smoking cessation technique with sufficient indications of promise to warrant further investigation. The main presumed effect of RS is on reducing desire to smoke.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of a single session of RS immediately prior to quitting smoking on urges to smoke over the first week of abstinence.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Specialist smoking cessation clinic (SSCC).

Participants: A total of 100 smokers attending the quit day session.

Intervention: Participants in the rapid smoking group underwent a single session of RS immediately prior to quitting smoking. Participants in the control group watched a health promotion video on giving up smoking.

Primary outcome measures: Ratings of urges to smoke in the first 24 hours and 1 week of abstinence.

Findings: The RS procedure was well tolerated. It led to significantly lower urges to smoke compared to the control procedure during the first 24 hours (mean rating of 2.6 versus 3.2, P < 0.001) and the first week of abstinence (1.8 versus 2.5, P < 0.01). In patients abstinent for 4 weeks, urges to smoke were low and the difference was no longer significant (1.4 versus 1.8).

Conclusion: RS has an 'active ingredient' (craving reduction) and its effects on smoking cessation may merit further examination using modern rigorous methodology.