Clinical trial NCT00843622
Conditions: Cigarette Smoking
Keywords: Smoking Smoking cessation Smokeless tobacco Snus
Sponsor: Swedish Match AB
Start date: 2009-02-01; Completion date: 2010-06-01
Enrollment: 250 participants; Allocation: RANDOMIZED; Intervention model: PARALLEL

Brief summary:
The study aims to assess if use of a low-nitrosamine, Swedish, smokefree tobacco product for oral use ("snus") can increase the quit rate among cigarette smokers who wish to stop smoking

Detailed description:
In a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled setting, participants are randomly allocated to either a smokefree, oral tobacco product or a non-tobacco, non-nicotine placebo product with identical flavoring and physical appearance. The study consists of three phases: Study Product Test Period (4 weeks), Intervention Phase (12 weeks), and a Follow-Up Phase (12 weeks). The participants are all cigarette smokers who are motivated to quit. They are encouraged to gradually substitute as many cigarettes as possible with study products during the Study Product Test Period and to refrain from all cigarettes at the latest by the first day of Week 5. Use of study products will continue during the 12 week Intervention Phase. The participants are encouraged to cut down on use of study products during the last 3 weeks to avoid a too abrupt ending of nicotine intake.

All subjects are encouraged to continue in the study for clinical follow-up independent of smoking status although use of study products is discontinued during the Follow-Up Phase. If a subject has managed to quit smoking during the Intervention Phase but there is an imminent danger of smoking relapse during the Follow-Up Phase, that subject is informed that use of nicotine replacement therapy or a smokefree tobacco product is a better option in terms of health risks than a smoking relapse.

Arms: arm 1: Tobacco-based, smokefree product in pouch format for oral use, pouch size 1.0 or 0.5 g to be used ad libitum by participants arm 2: Non-tobacco, non-nicotine placebo product in pouch format for oral use, pouch size 1.0 g or 0.5 g, to be used ad libitum by the participants
Interventions: intervention 1: Low-nitrosamine smokefree tobacco product for oral use intervention 2: Non-tobacco, non-nicotine placebo product
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Smokeless tobacco in paper sachets containing 1.0 or 0.5 g of the product. Usage ad libitum. Recommended dosages: 10-24 sachets per day (1.0 g sachets). Among participants who typically smoke \>15-20 cigarettes per day and/or has a Fagerström score of 7 or higher, the recommended maximum number of sachets per day is 30. For participants who use small sachets (0.5 g) the recommended daily use is double compared that of 1.0 g sachets. intervention 2: Placebo product in paper sachets containing 1.0 or 0.5 g. Product made of cocoa bean fibers and oat fibers. Usage ad libitum. Recommended dosages: 10-24 sachets per day (1.0 g sachets). Among participants who typically smoke \>15-20 cigarettes per day and/or has a Fagerström score of 7 or higher, the recommended maximum number of sachets per day is 30. For participants who use small sachets (0.5 g) the recommended daily use is double compared that of 1.0 g sachets.

Protocol documents: