Offering Nicotine Patches to All Households in a Municipality With High Smoking Rates

Offering Nicotine Patches to All Households in a Municipality With High Smoking Rates: Test of an Idea to Promote Large Increases in Tobacco Cessation

One municipality with high smoking rates will be selected. A coupon for free-of-charge nicotine patches will be sent to each household. Reductions in the number of people smoking in the chosen municipality from before to after the NRT distribution will be estimated

A coupon offering five weeks of free nicotine patches will be mailed to every household in a small municipality with elevated smoking rates. Up to 800 participants (one per household) will be able to redeem their coupon online or by phone, and receive nicotine patches via postal mail. Participants will be asked to complete a baseline survey containing items relevant to predicting smoking cessation. Participants will be asked to complete a six-month follow-up survey to assess changes in smoking status.

Research Question: Will the concentrated distribution of nicotine patches in a region of high smoking rates lead to large reductions in smoking rates?

Inclusion Criteria:

• speak and understand English
• 18 years or older
• smoke 10 or more cigarettes per day for at least 3 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• health contraindications for using nicotine patches without supervision of a doctor (e.g. allergy to tape, pregnant or intending to become pregnant, currently breastfeeding, serious heart or circulation problems not including high blood pressure)