Chewing Gum for Smoking Cessation

The Effectiveness of Chewing Gum for Reducing Cigarette Consumption and Promoting Smoking Cessation: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

The goal of this trial is to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of chewing gum to reduce cigarette consumption and promote smoking cessation. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do participants in the intervention group report a higher reduction in cigarette consumption, improved smoking cessation outcomes, and healthier oral health than the control group?

Researchers will compare chewing gum intervention to unassisted quitting to see if chewing gum works to cigarette reduction and smoking cessation.

Participants will:

1. Receive very brief smoking cessation advice and booklet at baseline.
2. Take chewing gum or unassisted quitting for 1 week.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Residents of Hong Kong aged 18 or above
2. Smoking at least 1 cigarette per day over the past 3 months
3. Have the habit of chewing gum or are willing to use chewing gum
4. Participants who can communicate in Cantonese (including reading Chinese)
5. Expressing an intention to quit or reduce smoking
6. Capable of using instant messaging tools (e.g., WhatsApp, WeChat) for communication

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Having communication barriers (either physical or cognitive)
2. Currently participating in other smoking cessation programs or services