As an individual smokes fewer cigarettes per day, the amount of nicotine in the patch increases. This ensures that smokers receive the same amount of nicotine throughout the scheduled smoking part of the study. After the smoking habit is broken, then the amount of nicotine in the patch gradually decreases, until the nicotine addiction is broken as well, Dr. Cinciripini says. With scheduled smoking, the interval between cigarettes gradually increases increases until smokers have kicked the habit. The messages are tailored for various moods or times that usually prompt a smoker to reach for a cigarette, such as during periods of feeling stressed, tired, anxious, or after a cup of coffee or a meal.
Smokers can access the messages easily by pushing a button.
In addition to the stop-smoking tip manual, some participants will use computers that also tell them when to smoke each cigarette. This helps smokers become accustomed to smoking on a schedule, and they learn to resist giving in to the urge to smoke. All participants additionally receive a patch, with volunteers randomly assigned to receive either nicotine patches or placebo patches. As smokers cut back on the number of cigarettes, their nicotine patches increase in strength so that they receive the same amount of nicotine. This is the mechanism that helps smokers change their smoking behavior first, and then break the nicotine addiction.