DRUGS AS AN AID IN SMOKING CESSATION - RE SULTS OF CONTROLLED RANDOMIZED STUDIES - UP-TO-DATE AND PERSPECTIVES

In several cases tobacco smoking fulfills criteria for drug dependence . Withdrawal symptoms after smoking cessation are considered the main cause of relapses. We reviewed results of controlled clinical drug tri als (testing nicotine patch, nicotine nasal spray, clonidine, buspiron e and doxepin) in smoking cessation. End of treatment quit rates at 3 months with nicotine patch vary between 14 % and 39 % and one year qui t rates between 9 % et 26 %. Studies with nasal nicotine spray give si milar results but nicotine spray is less well tolerated than nicotine patch. The therapeutic effectiveness of nicotine patch seems to be ins ufficient and there is only one report of long term (< 1 year) results which should be the main goal of treatments used in smoking cessation . A therapeutic approach with psychotropic drugs founded on a better c haracterization of dependent smokers' psychopathology (depression, anx iety...) may be a more promising research field.