Smoking Cessation in Patients Substituting Opioids - Effect of Medical Consultation on the Number of Smoked Cigarettes when E-Cigarettes are Involved for Substituting Cigarettes

Objective Smoking cessation programs in methadone substituting opioid dependent people were ineffective. With aim at evaluating the effectiveness of a structured consultation program in combination with substituting cigarettes with e-cigarettes for opioid dependent people. Methods In this therapy study, 35 participants take part in quarterly repeated consultation sessions where 'smoking' is discussed. Pharmaceutical cessation treatment, as well as cessation courses are offered during this stage. Part 1 (T1), lasting 30 months (2012-2014), aimed at both, smoking cessation and/or reduction of number of cigarettes consumed. During the second part (T2) of this study, which followed immediately after part 1 and lasted 18 months, consultation mainly aimed at the substitution of cigarettes by e-cigarettes. Secondary aims in this part are smoking cessation and reduction of the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Compared are the number of smoked cigarettes previous to T1, after T1 and after T2. Results In total, 20 participants took part in the smoking cessation from start of T1 until the end of T2. After the first part, all of those participants were still smokers and no reduction of the number of cigarettes smoked was achieved. After part 2, 4 participants fully substituted cigarettes with other means of nicotine intake (3 used e-cigarettes instead, 1 exclusively used nicotine inhaler). Of the remaining 16 participants, 7 consumed cigarettes and nicotine substitutes simultaneously. Those participants smoked on average 10.1 cigarettes per day, while 'only smokers' consumed on average 18.0 cigarettes per day. Conclusions After including the substitution of cigarettes with e-cigarettes as an option during the consultation sessions, few participants became abstinent from cigarettes.