Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Randomized crossover trial of the acceptability of snus, nicotine gum, and Zonnic therapy for smoking reduction in heavy smokers.
Novel approaches to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) are needed to improve the modest long-term quit rate of 10%. Snus (Swedish tobacco) and Zonnic (oral nicotine sachet) rapidly deliver nicotine via buccal absorption and have potential as NRTs. As a prelude to formal evaluation of either product as a smoking cessation therapy, it is necessary to determine their acceptability and the willingness of smokers to use them in populations with no history of access to oral tobacco products. ⋯ Most subjects reported a strong desire to use Zonnic or snus to quit smoking. Subjects preferred snus and Zonnic, which both had significantly fewer gastrointestinal side effects than gum and resulted in greater reductions in smoking. Snus and Zonnic are effective in suppressing desires to smoke and reducing smoking, and further studies are warranted to investigate their effect on long-term quit rates.