Smoking Behavior and Exposure to Tobacco Toxicants During 6 months of Smoking Progressively Reduced Nicotine Content Cigarettes
Mené durant 6 mois sur 135 fumeurs en bonne santé, cet essai évalue l'effet d'une réduction progressive de la quantité de nicotine dans les cigarettes sur la dépendance tabagique et le niveau plasmatique ou urinaire de marqueurs de l'exposition à la fumée de tabac et de biomarqueurs cardiovasculaires
Background Recent federal legislation gives the FDA authority to regulate the nicotine content of cigarettes. A nationwide strategy for progressive reduction of the nicotine content of cigarettes is a potential way to reduce the addictiveness of cigarettes, to prevent new smokers from becoming addicted and to facilitate quitting in established smokers. We conducted a trial of progressive nicotine content tapering over 6 months to determine the effects on smoking behaviors and biomarkers of tobacco smoke exposure and cardiovascular effects. Methods 135 healthy smokers were randomly assigned to one of two groups. A research group smoked their usual brand of cigarettes followed by 5 types of research cigarettes with progressively lower nicotine content, each smoked for one month. A control group smoked their own brand of cigarettes for the same period of time. Results Nicotine intake, as indicated by plasma cotinine concentration, declined progressively as the nicotine content of cigarettes was reduced. Cigarette consumption and markers of exposure to carbon monoxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as cardiovascular biomarkers remained stable, while urinary 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) excretion decreased. No significant changes in biomarkers of exposure or cardiovascular effects were observed in controls. Conclusions Our data support the proposition that the intake of nicotine from cigarettes of smokers can be substantially lowered without increasing exposure to other tobacco smoke toxins. Impact These findings provide evidence for the feasibility of gradual reduction of the nicotine content in cigarettes to make cigarettes less addictive and to reduce the level of nicotine dependence.
Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention , résumé, 2012