Abstract
This pilot study is the first to examine the feasibility and outcomes of dual pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation among drug treatment patients. The intervention consisted of 7 weeks of bupropion (300 mg), 12 weeks of nicotine gum, and 6 sessions of motivational interviewing. The trial was conducted among 28 patients recruited from 5 methadone clinics and employed a pretest-posttest design. At 6 months post quit date, 14% of participants met criteria for biochemically-verified abstinence. Among those still smoking, number of cigarettes smoked decreased significantly and most (88%) had made at least 1 serious quit attempt. Participation rates were excellent and no adverse effects on alcohol or illicit drug use were found. Although not a definitive test of the intervention, findings suggest that a multi-component approach to tobacco dependence is feasible and potentially effective in helping drug treatment patients achieve smoking cessation well beyond the end of treatment and that a large-scale randomized trial is warranted.