A Pilot Study of Smoking Cessation within an Iranian Addiction Recovery Community

ABSTRACT

Tobacco dependence is ubiquitous among people seeking treatment for other substance use disorders, compromises recovery outcomes, and elevates long-term morbidity and mortality of people recovering from other addictions. The present study (1) identifies the organizational and personal motivators for smoking cessation within a recovery community (Congress 60) in the Islamic Republic of Iran, (2) describes a novel method of smoking cessation that combines prolonged nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) with a broad spectrum of psychosocial supports to achieve sustained smoking cessation and improved health and quality of life (HQoL), and (3) presents preliminary follow-up data on the first 100 individuals who participated in this pilot effort. The high retention rate, low reported nicotine cravings during and following NRT, high one-year post-NRT abstinence rates, and reported improvements in HQoL of study participants warrant further evaluation and potential replication of the smoking cessation methods used within Congress 60.

KEYWORDS:

• Tobacco dependence
• smoking cessation
• nicotine replacement therapy
• peer recovery support