In smokers who lapse during nicotine patch treatment, continued patch use increases the likelihood of recovering abstinence

Abstract

Implications for practice and research: Quitting smokers who use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) are often advised to stop using this if they restart smoking; quitters often discontinue NRT after brief smoking lapses. Quitters who continue using NRT during brief lapses may be more likely to return to abstinence. Treating lapses with NRT probably encourages shortterm cessation; research should investigate this further and test the impact on smokers' long-term abstinence and health gain.