Problem/Objective: The provision of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) in a Telephonic Tobacco Cessation Quitline has been shown to be associated with higher call volume, longer retention in a multi-call program, and higher quit rates compared to participants not receiving NRT. The US Department of Health and Human Services has recommended as optimal an 8 to 12 week course of NRT. An important question is whether there is a difference in follow-up quit rates for individuals receiving longer, shorter, or no doses of NRT.

Methods: The States of Ohio and Colorado began offering up to 8 weeks of NRT to some (OH) or all (CO) Quitline participants. Four weeks of NRT was given immediately on program initiation, and an additional four weeks of NRT was available to individuals who continued in the program. Both States previously had offered only telephonic cessation services, without provision of NRT. The present study compared six-month follow-up quit rates for 15,381 responders to a cessation survey.

Results: Results showed that six-month quit rates for the 7,429 participants who did not receive NRT was 25.1%; the 3,234 responders who received four weeks of NRT had a quit rate of 25.4%; and the 4,628 responders who received eight weeks of NRT had a quit rate of 47.2%.

Conclusions: These results show an impressive increase in quit rates for individuals who remain in the program longer and receive the full eight weeks of NRT. Implications of the duration of use of NRT and participation in a telephonic cessation program are discussed.