Recent quitters' interest in recycling and harm reduction

Abstract

Many smoking cessation attempts are followed by failure or relapse. The optimal time to initiate a new quit attempt is not known. Administrative databases documenting recent use of a pharmacological aid for smoking cessation provide access to a population of smokers recently in the action phase of quitting. This study describes interest in further treatment among this population. A total of 2,340 smokers from the Minneapolis Veterans Administration Medical Center received prescriptions for a smoking cessation aid during an 18-month period. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of a random sample of this population a minimum of 3 months following the prescription, using a structured telephone interview (N=391). The response rate was 75.8%. The 1-month point-prevalent abstinence rate was 19.7%. Of continuing smokers, 98% were willing to make another quit attempt--50% immediately, and 28% within 1 month. There was no relationship between time since the last quit attempt and interest in trying again immediately. Some 95% of continuing smokers were willing to try a reduction strategy. Of these, 82.7% were interested in using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to accomplish this goal. Most cessation programs do not systematically approach participants who relapse. These data suggest that this population would welcome further help in quitting or reducing smoking shortly following failure, and that smokers do not commonly relapse to a precontemplation stage of change.

Natural History of Attempts to Stop Smoking

“…Our results suggest that, consistent with other data (Joseph, Rice, An, Mohiuddin, & Lando, 2004), smokers who fail to quit are often not discouraged and are ready to try again in the near future. This result suggests that interventions that continue to engage the smoker after a failed quit attempt may be helpful.…”

Smoking cessation during substance abuse treatment: What you need to know

“…If they are willing to try smoking cessation during substance abuse treatment, patients should be encouraged and be provided the opportunity. If patients return to smoking, they frequently are willing to make another quit attempt soon after reinitiation (Joseph, Rice, An, Mohiuddin, & Lando, 2004). Choice can be also provided for another opportunity to stop smoking after treatment for other substances.…”

Development and initial validation of a cessation fatigue scale

“…Repeated QAs often precede long-term abstinence, indicating that most ex-smokers experienced repeated failures (Borland et al, 2012). A better understanding of processes that promote or impede renewed attempts to quit following a relapse could inform treatment development (Bold et al, 2014; Joseph et al, 2004), but few studies have addressed this important research question.…”