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African Americans are subject to health disparities in smoking and chronic pain. Given that nicotine has analgesic properties, increases in acute pain may be an expression of the tobacco abstinence syndrome, particularly among African American smokers with chronic pain. This report is a secondary analysis of data from an ongoing study of individual differences in laboratory-derived tobacco abstinence phenotypes in African American smokers. We tested whether overnight smoking abstinence increased acute pain and whether abstinence-induced changes in acute pain were correlated with other expressions of tobacco abstinence and amplified among smokers with chronic pain. African American smokers (N = 214; 10+ cig/day) attended a baseline visit (when chronic pain was reported), and two counterbalanced experimental sessions (ad libitum smoking vs. 16-hr smoking abstinence). At both experimental sessions, measures of self-reported acute pain and other tobacco abstinence symptoms were administered. Smoking abstinence significantly increased acute pain (d = .17, p = .01). Correlations between abstinence-induced changes in acute pain and abstinence-induced changes in negative affect, r = .15, p = .02, smoking urges, r = .13, p = .05, and composite nicotine withdrawal symptoms, r = .13, p = .06, were small and nonsignificant after correction for multiple tests, indicating that phenotypic variation in abstinence-provoked changes in acute pain and other tobacco abstinence expressions were largely independent. Baseline levels of chronic pain predicted greater abstinence-induced pain amplification at experimental sessions (βs = .29-.31; ps < .001). Acute pain is greater following overnight tobacco abstinence (vs. satiation) among African American smokers, predominantly among those with chronic pain. Addressing pain in tobacco addiction science, treatment, and health equity programming warrants consideration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Background: Tobacco cessation interventions provided in a dental office or hospital settings are beneficial in helping patients to quit tobacco. Regular monitoring of these interventions is required to assess their success rate and factors hindering its improvement. This study evaluated cessation services provided through a Tobacco Cessation Clinic (TCC) established in a government teaching dental hospital in Delhi, India. Materials and Methods: Patients visiting the TCC from April 2016 to March 2018 were contacted to participate in this study. All the willing participants were administered a structured questionnaire telephonically or in person. The questionnaire focused on gathering information on patients' current tobacco use status, feedback on intervention provided at TCC and reasons for missing TCC appointments. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was performed to assess the effect of socio-demographic factors, nicotine dependence and interventions at TCC on current tobacco use status of participants. Results: Of the 309 participants, 60 (19.4%) reported complete tobacco abstinence and 78 (22.3%) reduced consumption by more than half from their first visit to TCC. Most of the participants (81.5%) were satisfied with the tobacco cessation interventions provided at the TCC. Multivariate analysis shows that odds of quitting were higher in participants with low tobacco dependence (OR 3.03, CI 0.98,9.35) and those who were satisfied with counselling method at TCC (OR 8.8, CI 2.05, 38.35). Conclusion: Interventions provided at our TCC were found beneficial by the study participants to reduce tobacco consumption or achieve total tobacco abstinence. A timely reminder can be provided to increase patients' compliance.

The average nicotine half-life in body tissues is 2 h. Understanding the influence of pure nicotine abstinence on cognitive control may be helpful in eliminating nicotine dependence (ND) and preventing smoking relapse. This study was to investigate the effects of 2-h tobacco abstinence on cognitive control in patients with ND. Twenty-five patients with ND completed event-related potential (ERP) P300 measurements at the normality state and the abstinence state. Twenty-five healthy controls (HCs) were measured with P300 twice with a 2-h time interval. HAMD and HAMA were used to assess the emotional state. Results showed that there were significant differences in Carbon monoxide (CO) levels between the abstinence state and the normality state in the ND group. There were no significant differences in HAMD and HAMA scores for the abstinence state in the ND group or the normality state in the ND group and the HC group. For P3a, P3b amplitude, and P3a latency, the main effect for ND group was significant. For P3a, P3b amplitude, and latency, the interaction effect for group × time point was not significant, and the main effect for time point was not significant. It concluded that patients with ND present cognitive control deficits, and 2-h tobacco abstinence has no effect on cognitive control deficits in male patients with ND. Our findings may be helpful in eliminating nicotine dependence and preventing smoking relapse.

The average nicotine half-life in body tissues is 2 h. Understanding the influence of pure nicotine abstinence on cognitive control may be helpful in eliminating nicotine dependence (ND) and preventing smoking relapse. This study was to investigate the effects of 2-h tobacco abstinence on cognitive control in patients with ND. Twenty-five patients with ND completed event-related potential (ERP) P300 measurements at the normality state and the abstinence state. Twenty-five healthy controls (HCs) were measured with P300 twice with a 2-h time interval. HAMD and HAMA were used to assess the emotional state. Results showed that there were significant differences in Carbon monoxide (CO) levels between the abstinence state and the normality state in the ND group. There were no significant differences in HAMD and HAMA scores for the abstinence state in the ND group or the normality state in the ND group and the HC group. For P3a, P3b amplitude, and P3a latency, the main effect for ND group was significant. For P3a, P3b amplitude, and latency, the interaction effect for group × time point was not significant, and the main effect for time point was not significant. It concluded that patients with ND present cognitive control deficits, and 2-h tobacco abstinence has no effect on cognitive control deficits in male patients with ND. Our findings may be helpful in eliminating nicotine dependence and preventing smoking relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tobacco cessation interventions provided in a dental office or hospital settings are beneficial in helping patients to quit tobacco. Regular monitoring of these interventions is required to assess their success rate and factors hindering its improvement. This study evaluated cessation services provided through a Tobacco Cessation Clinic (TCC) established in a government teaching dental hospital in Delhi, India.. Materials and Methods: Patients visiting the TCC from April 2016 to March 2018 were contacted to participate in this study. All the willing participants were administered a structured questionnaire telephonically or in person. The questionnaire focused on gathering information on patients' current tobacco use status, feedback on intervention provided at TCC and reasons for missing TCC appointments. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was performed to assess the effect of socio-demographic factors, nicotine dependence and interventions at TCC on current tobacco use status of participants.Results: Of the 309 participants, 60 (19.4%) reported complete tobacco abstinence and 78 (22.3%) reduced consumption by more than half from their first visit to TCC. Most of the participants (81.5%) were satisfied with the tobacco cessation interventions provided at the TCC. Multivariate analysis shows that odds of quitting were higher in participants with low tobacco dependence (OR 3.03, CI 0.98,9.35) and those who were satisfied with counselling method at TCC (OR 8.8, CI 2.05, 38.35).Conclusion: Interventions provided at our TCC were found beneficial by the study participants to reduce tobacco consumption or achieve total tobacco abstinence. A timely reminder can be provided to increase patients' compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menthol cigarette smoking has remained stable or increased in certain groups, despite an overall decline in cigarette smoking rates in the U.S. Understanding whether e-cigarettes alter patterns of menthol cigarette use is critical to informing efforts for reducing the public health burden of menthol cigarette smoking. This 2019–2020 laboratory pilot study evaluated whether self-administration of mint-, menthol-, or tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes would differentially impact tobacco withdrawal symptoms in e-cigarette-naïve adults who smoke menthol cigarettes daily. Participants (N =17; 35.3% Female; mean age=51.8) attended three laboratory sessions after 16-hours of tobacco abstinence. Participants self-administered a study-provided JUUL e-cigarette (0.7 mL with 5% nicotine by weight) at each session in which flavor was manipulated (mint vs. menthol vs. tobacco; order randomized). Participants completed pre- and post-e-cigarette administration self-report assessments on smoking urges, nicotine withdrawal, and positive and negative affect states. Multilevel linear regression models tested differences between the three flavor conditions for individual study outcomes. Following overnight tobacco abstinence, vaping either a mint or menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarette led to significantly greater reductions in smoking urges over time; menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarettes also suppressed urges to smoke for pleasure. Notably, no differences in nicotine withdrawal, positive affect, or negative affect were observed. In this laboratory pilot study, mint and menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarettes provided some negative reinforcement effects via acute reductions in smoking urges during tobacco abstinence, yet only menthol flavored e-cigarettes demonstrated suppressive effects on smoking urges for pleasure in adults who smoke menthol cigarettes daily. • Mint or menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarettes reduced smoking urges over time. • Menthol (vs. tobacco) flavored e-cigarettes attenuated urges to smoke for pleasure. • Menthol-flavored e-cigarettes may alter menthol smoking patterns in menthol smokers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our objective was to develop a scale to assess motives for abstaining from tobacco use among young adults. Methods: We analyzed 2016 survey data from 2094 US college students (ages 18-25) who reported no past-4-month tobacco use. We developed a 10-item scale and examined its reliability and validity, specifically in relationship to future use intentions; perceived addictiveness, health risks, and social acceptability of tobacco use; and tobacco product use at 4-month follow-up. Results: Factor analysis identified 2 factors: Social Concerns and Instrumental Concerns. Bivariate analyses regarding convergent and discriminant validity indicated that both subscales were associated with lower future tobacco use intentions; greater perceived addictiveness and harm to health; and lower likelihood of follow-up use across products (ps < .05). Social Concerns scores were associated with all psychosocial factors; Instrumental Concerns scores were not associated with perceived social acceptability or parental tobacco use. Multivariable logistic regression indicated that lower Social Concerns scores predicted any follow-up tobacco use (p = .027); lower Instrumental Concerns scores predicted follow-up e-cigarette use (p = .037). Additionally, Tobacco Abstinence Motives scores contributed significantly to each model. Conclusions: This scale demonstrated good psychometric properties and identified social and instrumental concerns as potential intervention targets to promote young adult abstinence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The aim of this study was to establish if the auricular acupuncture treatment can play a complementary role in enhancing the smoking cessation rate of the smokers receiving conventional therapy, such as NRT and behavioral counseling. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study. Republic of Korea Air Force soldiers who visited the clinic with the intention to quit smoking from September 2016 to March 2017 were reviewed. The smoking cessation program consisted of a 6-weeks treatment period with follow-up at 3 and 6 months from the baseline. Smokers who chose to receive nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) were compared with those who chose to receive auricular acupuncture combined with NRT. Both groups received behavioral counseling. Results A total of 148 subjects were reviewed in the study. Of the 86 smokers who received combination therapy, 41 achieved continuous abstinence (47.7%), while 19 out of the 62 smokers stayed abstinent from the NRT group (30.6%). There was a significant difference between the two groups (p=0.037). Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale scores significantly decreased after the treatment in both groups, but there was no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.681). No serious adverse events were reported from both groups. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that conventional treatments, such as NRT and behavioral counseling, when combined with auricular acupuncture could be a safer and more effective smoking cessation treatment than conventional treatments alone.

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Introduction: Quitlines (QL) are an effective means for smoking cessation, but a paucity of data exist examining the dose-response relationship between use of QL services and quit rates, especially among low-income smokers. The purpose of this study was to study the relationship between tobacco abstinence and use of QL services among low-income smokers.Methods: Secondary analysis of a randomized trial of every- or some-day smokers aged 18 years or older visiting an urban emergency department. Inclusion criteria included self-pay or Medicaid insurance, as a proxy for low-income and low socioeconomic status. Intervention participants received a motivational interview, 6 weeks of nicotine patches and gum, a referral faxed to the state-sponsored QL, a booster call, and a quitline brochure. Control participants received the brochure. Smoking status was assessed by phone at 1 and 3 months, with confirmation via exhaled carbon monoxide testing at 3 months for those reporting abstinence. QL usage was obtained by utilization data from the QL database.Results: Of 778 subjects, 197 (25.3%) reported any use of QL services at 3 months. Participants were trichotomized: no QL usage, 1 call only, and >1 call (583, 99, and 98 participants, respectively). Quit rates at 3 months in these no, low-, and high-use groups were, respectively, 7.2%, 9.1%, and 15.3% (P=0.03). Participants who used the QL had a median of 28 total minutes of telephone contact.Conclusion: Among low-income smokers, greater use of QL services is associated with higher abstinence. Whether this resulted from a direct effect of the QL, or greater motivation among smokers using QL services cannot be determined from these data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The complex concordance and discordance across and within anxiety and depressive symptoms complicates understanding of the relation between emotional symptoms and manifestations of tobacco withdrawal. The goal of this study was to parse the broad variation in anxiety and depressive symptoms into conceptually discrete components and explore their relative predictive influence on affective patterns of acute tobacco withdrawal. Methods: We employed a within-participant experimentally manipulated tobacco abstinence design involving: (i) a baseline visit at which past-week depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed and (ii) two counterbalanced experimental visits—one after ad lib smoking and one after 16-h of tobacco abstinence—at which state affect was assessed. Participants were community-dwelling adults (N =187) smoking 10+ cig/day for at least two years without an active mood disorder. Results: Anxiety-related general distress symptoms (e.g., tension, nervousness) predicted greater abstinence-induced increases in various negative affective states but not changes in positive affect (βs .17–.33). Depression-related general distress symptoms (e.g., sadness, worthlessness) predicted greater abstinence-induced increases in acute depressed affect only (βs .24–.25). Anhedonic symptoms (e.g., diminished interest, lack of pleasure) predicted larger abstinence-induced decreases in acute positive affect only (βs .17–.20). Anxious Arousal symptoms (e.g., shakiness, heart racing) predicted larger abstinence-induced increases in fatigue and depressive affect (βs .15–.24). Conclusion: Different components of anxiety and depressive symptoms are associated with unique affective patterns of acute tobacco withdrawal. These results provide insight into the affective mechanisms underlying tobacco dependence and could inform smoking cessation treatment approaches tailored to individuals with emotional distress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ABSTRACT Aim To examine the effectiveness of a stage-matched smoking cessation counselling intervention for smokers who had cardiac diseases. Methods A total of 1860 Chinese cardiac patients who smoked at least one cigarette in the past 7 days and aged 18 years or above recruited from cardiac out-patient clinics in Hong Kong hospitals were allocated randomly to an intervention group or control group. The intervention group ( n = 938) received counselling matched with their stage of readiness to quit by trained counsellors at baseline, 1 week and 1 month. The control group ( n = 922) received brief counselling on healthy diet at baseline. The primary outcomes were self-reported 7-day and 30-day point prevalence (PP) of tobacco abstinence at 12 months after baseline. The secondary outcome measures included biochemically validated abstinence at 12-month follow-up, self-reported 7-day and 30-day PP abstinence and reduction of cigarette consumption by 50% at 3 and 6 months. Results By intention-to-treat analysis, the intervention and control groups showed no significant difference in self-reported 7-day PP abstinence (intervention: 26.5% versus control: 25.5%; P = 0.60) and 30-day PP (intervention: 25.4% versus control: 24.2%; P = 0.55), biochemically validated abstinence (intervention: 6.6% versus control: 4.9%; P = 0.14) and overall quit attempts of least 24 hours (intervention: 40.3% versus control: 34.3%; P = 0.007) at the 12-month follow-up, adjusted for the baseline stage of readiness to quit smoking. Conclusions An intervention, based on the Stages of Change model, to promote smoking cessation in cardiac patients in China failed to find any long-term benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A previous randomized clinical trial based on self-determination theory (SDT) and consistent with the Public Health Service (PHS) Guideline for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence demonstrated that an intensive intervention could change autonomous self-regulation and perceived competence, which in part facilitated long-term tobacco abstinence. The current article describes a pragmatic comparative effectiveness trial of three SDT-based intensive tobacco-dependence interventions. Eligible participants are randomized to one of the three treatment conditions designed to facilitate long-term maintenance of tobacco abstinence, namely, Community Care (CC), which includes the 6month SDT-based intervention previously shown to promote autonomous self-regulation, perceived competence, medication use, and tobacco abstinence; Extended Need Support (ENS), which extends the 6month SDT-based intervention to 12months and trains an important other to provide support for smokers'' basic psychological needs; and Harm Reduction (HR), which provides extended need support and recommends medication use for participants who do not want to stop smoking completely within 30days but who are willing to reduce their cigarette use by half. The primary outcome is 12month prolonged abstinence from tobacco, which is assessed one year following termination of treatment (two years post-randomization). Secondary outcomes include 7- and 30day point prevalence tobacco abstinence, number of days using smoking-cessation medication, change in autonomous self-regulation and perceived competence, and perceived need support from important others. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To examine the effectiveness of smoking reduction counselling plus free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for smokers not willing to quit. A total of 1154 Chinese adult smokers not willing to quit but who were interested in reducing smoking were allocated randomly to three arms. Intervention group A1 ( n = 479) received face-to-face counselling on smoking reduction and adherence to NRT at baseline, 1 week and 4 weeks with 4 weeks of free NRT. Group A2 ( n = 449) received the same intervention, but without the adherence intervention. Control group B ( n = 226) received simple cessation advice at baseline. Self-reported 7-day point prevalence of tobacco abstinence and reduction of cigarette consumption (≥50%) at 6 months and continuous use of NRT for 4 weeks at 3 months. Using intention-to-treat analysis, compared to control group B, the intervention groups (A1 + A2) had achieved higher 6-month tobacco abstinence (17.0% versus 10.2%, P = 0.01) and reduction rates (50.9% versus 25.7%, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the 4-week NRT adherence rate at 3 months, but group A1 achieved a higher abstinence rate than group A2 at 6 months (20.9% versus 12.9%; P = 0.001). In smokers with no immediate plans to quit, smoking reduction programmes with behavioural support and nicotine replacement therapy are more effective than brief advice to quit. Current guidelines recommend advice to quit on medical grounds as the best clinical intervention in this group of smokers, but smoking reduction programmes offer an alternative and effective option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rationale: Previous studies have documented the existence of signs and symptoms of the acute tobacco abstinence syndrome; however, less attention has been paid to quantifying the magnitude of these effects. Objective: The present study quantified the relative magnitude of subjective, cognitive, and physiological manifestations of acute tobacco abstinence. Method: Smokers (N =203, ≥15 cig/day) attended two counterbalanced laboratory sessions, one following 12-h of abstinence and the other following ad-lib smoking. At both sessions, they completed an extensive battery of self-report measures (withdrawal, affect, hunger, craving, subjective attentional bias towards smoking cues), physiological assessments (heart rate, blood pressure, brain EEG), and cognitive performance tasks (psychomotor processing, sustained attention, objective attentional bias). Results: Abstinence effects were largest for craving, subjective attentional bias, negative affect, overall withdrawal severity, concentration difficulty, hunger, and heart rate. Effects were moderate for positive affect and EEG power. Effects were small, but reliable, for psychomotor speed, sustained attention, and somatic symptoms. Effects on performance-based indices of attentional bias towards smoking-related cues were small and reliable for some indices but not others. Effects were small and inconsistent for blood pressure and EEG frequency. Variation in internal consistency accounted for 33% of the variation in abstinence effect sizes across measures. Conclusions: There was a wide range of effect sizes both across and within domains, indicating that the acute tobacco abstinence syndrome is not a monotonic phenomenon. These findings may be indicative of the relative magnitudes of signs and symptoms that the average smoker may exhibit during acute abstinence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most research on the psychological correlates of smoking behavior has focused on negative indices of wellness, but findings are mixed, contradictory, controversial, and, thus, inconclusive. This study, guided by self-determination theory, examined both positive (viz., vitality) and negative (viz., depressive symptoms) indices of psychological health as predictors of long-term tobacco abstinence in the context of a randomized clinical trial. It also examined autonomous self-regulation and cigarette use as predictors of psychological health. Results supported the proposed conditional indirect effect model in which change in cigarette use mediated the relation of change in autonomous self-regulation for smoking cessation to change in vitality, and this indirect effect was moderated by treatment condition. Further, change in vitality predicted long-term tobacco abstinence. Results for depressive symptoms were largely null. Discussion focuses on the importance of considering positive indices of psychological health for understanding the psychological correlates of smoking behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Public Health Service (PHS) Guideline for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence (Fiore et al. ) recommends supporting autonomy and perceived competence to facilitate tobacco abstinence. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intensive tobacco-dependence intervention based on self-determination theory (SDT) and intended to support autonomy and perceived competence in facilitating long-term tobacco abstinence. One thousand and six adult smokers were recruited into a randomized cessation–induction trial. Community care participants received cessation pamphlets and information on local treatment programs. Intervention participants received the same materials and were asked to meet four times with counselors over 6 months to discuss their health in a manner intended to support autonomy and perceived competence. The primary outcome was 24-month prolonged abstinence from tobacco. The secondary outcome was 7-day point prevalence tobacco abstinence at 24 months postintervention. Smokers in the intervention were more likely to attain both tobacco abstinence outcomes and these effects were partially mediated by change in both autonomous self-regulation and perceived competence from baseline to 6 months. Structural equation modeling confirmed the SDT model of health-behavior change in facilitating long-term tobacco abstinence. An intervention based on SDT and consistent with the PHS Guideline, which was intended to support autonomy and perceived competence, facilitated long-term tobacco abstinence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess aspirations for physical health over 18 months. To examine whether maintained importance of aspirations for physical health mediated and/or moderated the effect of an intensive intervention on long-term tobacco abstinence. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention based on self-determination theory or to community care, and provided data at baseline and at 18 and 30 months post-randomization. Results: Aspirations for physical health were better maintained over 18 months among participants in the intervention (mean change=.05), relative to community care (mean change=−.13), t =2.66, p <.01. Maintained importance of aspirations for physical health partially mediated the treatment condition effects on seven-day point prevalence tobacco abstinence (z′=1.68, p <.01) and the longest number of days not smoking (z′=2.16, p <.01), and interacted with treatment condition to facilitate the longest number of days not smoking (β =.08, p <.05). Conclusion: Maintained importance of aspirations for physical health facilitated tobacco abstinence. Practice implications: Smokers may benefit from discussing aspirations for physical health within autonomy-supportive interventions. Patients may benefit from discussing aspirations during counseling about therapeutic lifestyle change and medication use. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a nurse-directed smoking cessation intervention for adults hospitalized in a small community hospital using a quasiexperimental, prospective, longitudinal design with biochemical validation of self-reported tobacco abstinence. Sixty-eight inpatients were assigned to either a control (n = 30) or an intervention group (n = 38). The control group received smoking cessation literature. The intervention group received smoking cessation literature and a nursing intervention. Each member of the intervention group was randomly assigned to a one or four telephone call subgroup for post discharge nurse follow-up at 3 months. Fifty-five participants completed the study. Smokers receiving the nurse-directed intervention were significantly more likely to be tobacco abstinent at 3 months (n = 17, 55%) than smokers in the control group (n = 5, 21%). Within the intervention group, tobacco abstinence at 3 months was not significantly different between the one and four telephone call groups. For the total sample, smoking relapse was significantly higher for participants who lived with another smoker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schizophrenics exhibit deficits in prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle response, and have high rates of cigarette smoking. We evaluated the effects of cigarette smoking on PPI deficits in schizophrenia, and the role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in mediating cigarette smoking-related PPI enhancement. Methods: PPI was assessed at baseline, after overnight abstinence, and after smoking reinstatement during three separate test weeks in nicotine-dependent schizophrenia (n=15) and control (n=14) smokers pre-treated with the nAChR antagonist mecamylamine (MEC; 0.0, 5.0 or 10.0 mg/day). Results: PPI was comparable between schizophrenia and control smokers after ad lib cigarette smoking. Overnight smoking abstinence significantly reduced PPI, while smoking reinstatement reversed abstinence-induced worsening of PPI deficits in schizophrenia. However, acute abstinence and reinstatement did not alter PPI in controls. PPI enhancement by smoking reinstatement in schizophrenia was dose-dependently blocked by MEC, whereas MEC had no effect on PPI in control smokers. Conclusions: These results suggest that: 1) Non-deprived smokers with schizophrenia have comparable levels of PPI to non-deprived smoking controls; 2) In schizophrenia, PPI is impaired by smoking abstinence and improved by acute smoking reinstatement, and; 3) enhancement of PPI by cigarette smoking in schizophrenia is mediated by stimulation of central nAChRs. Our findings may contribute to understanding the increased vulnerability to nicotine dependence in schizophrenia, with implications for treatment of PPI deficits in this disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An exceedingly high proportion of persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) smoke cigarettes. Smokers with OUD face multiple barriers to smoking cessation. While menthol cigarette use has been associated with low cessation rates, research has not explored the impact of menthol cigarette use on tobacco use outcomes among smokers with OUD. Participants were current smokers, in methadone treatment for OUD, participating in randomized controlled trials of smoking cessation therapies. We examined the use of menthol cigarettes, and the association between menthol cigarette use and achieving 24-hour quit attempts and seven-day point prevalence abstinence. Of 268 participants, 237 (88.4%) reported menthol use. A similar proportion of menthol and non-menthol smokers achieved a 24-hour quit attempt (83.1% vs. 83.8%, p = 0.92). Though fewer menthol smokers (vs. non-menthol smokers) achieved abstinence (12.7% vs. 22.6%), this did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.14). In this sample of smokers with OUD, menthol smoking was nearly ubiquitous. Menthol smoking was not associated with differences in quit attempts, but was associated with differences in cessation that were not statistically significant. Menthol smoking may contribute to the challenges in achieving abstinence among smokers with OUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Given the low efficacy of smoking cessation methods, an experimental medicine model indicating smoking abstinence would be of great benefit to the development of new treatments. Hence the sensitivity of cognitive tasks and ambulatory craving measures to smoking abstinence were investigated.Methods: Cognitive tasks and ambulatory ratings of craving were assessed for sensitivity to acute abstinence (experiment 1), and nicotine replacement therapy administration (NRT) (experiment 2).Results: In experiment 1 go/no-go performance was improved (Mean Difference [MD] -0.99, 95% CI: -1.90 to -0.08) and craving was lower (Regression Coefficient [RC] -33.39, 95% CI: -39.96 to -26.82) in satiated compared with abstinent smokers. There was no clear evidence that N-back (MD 0.64, 95% CI: -0.42 to 2.51), delay discounting (MD 0.01, 95% CI: 0.001 to 0.005) or dot probe performance (MD 0.61, 95% CI: -0.87 to 1.54) were sensitive to acute abstinence. In experiment 2 go/no-go performance was improved (MD 1.12, 95% CI: 0.16-2.08) and craving was lower (RC -18.59, 95% CI: -24.63 to -12.55) smokers abstinent overnight receiving NRT compared with placebo. There was no clear evidence that N-back (MD -0.25, 95% CI: -1.45 to 0.94), delay discounting (MD 0.01, 95% CI: -0.002 to 0.004) or dot probe performance (MD -0.49, 95% CI: -1.61 to -0.64) were sensitive to NRT.Conclusions: Findings from two experiments converge to suggest that abstinence in smokers reliably increases ambulatory craving assessments and, to a lesser extent, decreases go/no-go task performance. These findings can be utilized in the development of an experimental medicine model to test novel treatments for smoking cessation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to establish if the auricular acupuncture treatment can play a complementary role in enhancing the smoking cessation rate of the smokers receiving conventional therapy, such as NRT and behavioral counseling., Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. Republic of Korea Air Force soldiers who visited the clinic with the intention to quit smoking from September 2016 to March 2017 were reviewed. The smoking cessation program consisted of a 6-weeks treatment period with follow-up at 3 and 6 months from the baseline. Smokers who chose to receive nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) were compared with those who chose to receive auricular acupuncture combined with NRT. Both groups received behavioral counseling., Results: A total of 148 subjects were reviewed in the study. Of the 86 smokers who received combination therapy, 41 achieved continuous abstinence (47.7%), while 19 out of the 62 smokers stayed abstinent from the NRT group (30.6%). There was a significant difference between the two groups (p=0.037). Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale scores significantly decreased after the treatment in both groups, but there was no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.681). No serious adverse events were reported from both groups., Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that conventional treatments, such as NRT and behavioral counseling, when combined with auricular acupuncture could be a safer and more effective smoking cessation treatment than conventional treatments alone., Competing Interests: Authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest and none was reported.

Background: Smoking cessation clinical trials assess tobacco abstinence using self-report and biomarkers. Optimum methods for each are unclear; a common question assesses smoking in the prior 7 days. In contrast, timeline follow-back (TLFB) is another technique often used to assess use of alcohol in treatment trials; it is used less frequently in studies of smoking cessation. The goal of this study was to assess concordance between the 7-day smoking question and a 7-day TLFB., Methods: Secondary analysis of data from a randomized clinical trial of smoking cessation was conducted at a busy, urban hospital emergency department (ED) from October 2010 to December 2012. At 1, 3, and 12 months, subjects were contacted by phone to assess smoking status. Those reporting abstinence at 3 months were asked to return for an in-person measurement of exhaled carbon monoxide. For this analysis, smoking status at 1 month was compared for subjects in response to 2 questions asked concurrently, addressing 7-day point prevalence tobacco use and a 7-day TLFB., Results: Of 780 subjects, 666 (85.4%) were available for 1-month follow-up. Of these, 99 (14.9%) reported no smoking in response to the 7-day question, and 96 (14.4%) reported no smoking in response to the 7-day TLFB. The overall proportionate agreement between the 2 methods was 98.6%, with a kappa of 0.95 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91-0.98)., Conclusions: A single question that assesses smoking at 7 days provides excellent concordance with the more detailed TLFB. The single question appears adequate to assess self-reported tobacco use in clinical trials of smoking cessation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.