Briefly Noted

Abstract

Vaping and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) were equally effective at decreasing craving and withdrawal symptoms for smokers discharged from smoke‐free residential treatment for substance use disorder, a pilot study has found. The study, a randomized controlled trial to be published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in Australia, also found that retention was greater for the vaping group (96% at 12 weeks) than the NRT group (68%). For the study, 100 patients received telephone Quitline support and a 12‐week supply of either NRT or a vaping device. At 12 weeks, 14% of the vaping group and 18% of the NRT group report not smoking at all in the last seven days. The researchers concluded that their criteria for retention might have been too strict, and that “some leeway and looking at eventual success over the period people continue to engage with the aids would give a better picture of their long‐term potential.” There is a big movement to legalize vaping in Australia. A key point, however, is that patients readily engaged with smoking cessation after treatment when given the chance. “QuitNic: A pilot randomised controlled trial comparing nicotine vaping products with nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation following residential detoxification” by Billie Bonevski and colleagues is available open access, go to https://academic.oup.com/ntr/advance‐article/doi/10.1093/ntr/ntaa143/5889985.