Potential Hazards of Rapid Smoking as a Technic for the Modification of Smoking Behavior

Clarification of risk–benefit issues in rapid smoking.

“…In a carefully controlled study of 24 young, healthy (aged 25-40 years) male smokers with normality strictly defined by physiological criteria (Sachs et al, 1978), no subject demonstrated electrocardiographic abnormality before, during, or after rapid smoking therapy. Similarly, in the other physiological evaluation of rapid smoking to appear in the medical literature (Miller et al, 1977), none of the subjects were reported to have developed ischemic electrocardiographic abnormalities or arrhythmias. Although it is critically important to determine whether a potential subject is truly healthy, Sachs et al (1978) clearly showed that for young, healthy smokers rapid smoking is a clincially safe treatment technique that does not produce cardiac arrhythmias or signs of cardiac ischemia.…”

“…The risk-benefit ratio 1 for rapid smoking therapy must obviously be derived from an examination of the benefits as well as the potential risks (Danaher, Lichtenstein, & Sullivan, 1976;Dawley, Ellithorpe, & Tretola, 1976;Hall, Sachs, & Hall, 1979;Hauser, 1974;Koran, Hackett, Nicholas, Linberg, Stone, & Lukaski, 1977;Koran, Linberg, & Hackett, 1977;Lichtenstein & Glasgow, 1977;Miller, Schilling, Logan, & Johnson, 1977;Sachs, Hall, & Hall, 1978).…”

Effects of rapid smoking on post‐cessation urges to smoke

“…Typically, the procedure involves smokers taking a puff every 6 seconds until they finish a specified number of cigarettes or feel sick. Despite early concerns [14–16], the RS procedure was shown to be safe in healthy smokers [17,18], and to pose few risks even in those with a history of cardiopulmonary disease [19]. However, following the advent of pharmacological treatments in 1980s, interest in aversive methods has faded.…”

Two-year efficacy and safety of rapid smoking therapy in patients with cardiac and pulmonary disease.

“…Although concern for nicotine poisoning is unfounded (Russell, Raw, Taylor, Feyerabend, & Saloojee, 1978;Sachs, Hall, Pechacek, & Fitzgerald, 1979), the potential risk of myocardial ischemia cannot be taken lightly. Two studies have found no electrocardiographic abnormalities among healthy smokers undergoing rapid smoking (Miller, Schilling, Logan, & Johnson, 1977;Sachs, Hall, & Hall, 1978). Both studies, plus one other (Dawley, Ellithorpe, & Tretola, 1976), also noted mild respiratory alkalosis following rapid smoking.…”