Common comorbidities of Veterans precluded sufficient recruitment and enrollment.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether sampling nicotine replacement treatments (NRTs) is superior to learning about them by computer. Testing also covers preferences among the treatments. Subjects will be enrolled veterans who smoke.

Hypothesis: Direct experience ("sampling") of NRTs will increase knowledge about NRTs, motivation/confidence, use of NRTs and quit attempts in contrast to learning about NRTs by computer.

The study was designed to compare sampling of several nicotine replacement treatments (NRTs) in contrast to a computer learning control. The NRTs include: 2 dosages of nicotine gum, 2 dosages of nicotine lozenges and 2 dosages of oral nicotine inhalers. In the sampling group, each participant tries each of the 6 NRTs for 3 minutes. In the control, the individuals read about the treatments. Dependent measures include: quit attempts, use of NRTs, preferences among NRTs, and learning and motivation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Must be enrolled veteran who smokes.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any event or condition that could be exacerbated by the local effects of nicotine treatments (e.g., throat or stomach problems; any kind of wheezing from a condition or medication)
• other criteria as determined by PI and study physicians
• reactions to menthol (inhaler) or to aspartame (lozenge)

Assessment of adverse events was carried out by the PI, a Study Physician, and a Research Assistant. In this study, a non-serious adverse event was one that involved expected side effects of the medications. These were monitored for the NRT Sampling Arm during testing. Side effects were not assessed for the Computer Learning intervention.

Limitations of the study: early termination of the study occurred due to widespread comorbidities precluding recruitment and enrollment of Veterans in this NRT trial. Specifically, the sample size was too small for any data analyses.