Interesting is that the points on the graph fall right on the line of equality. These factors would tend towards bias for acupuncture, which makes the profound negative even worse. The paper tells us that acupuncture for smoking is a poor buy. We also have to beware thinking of placebo response here as people stopping smoking because of some feature of the treatment other than acupuncture. The reality is that the smoking cessation rates vary widely because the studies are small.
People entering trials of smoking cessation want to stop smoking.
Some of them succeed. With acupuncture, no more succeed. With nicotine replacement about 1 more will succeed for every 13 people who use it. AR White, H Rampes, E Ernst. In Cochrane Library issue 1, 2000.