A pilot study of Not On Tobacco: a stop smoking programme for adolescents

Presents findings from the pilot study of a gender‐sensitive adolescent smoking cessation programme called Not On Tobacco (N‐O‐T). N‐O‐T is a school‐based programme designed to help teenagers stop smoking or reduce cigarette use among those who are unable to quit completely. A total of 29 adolescents from three high schools in West Virginia participated (19 females and 10 males ranging between 14 and 18 years old). Smoking abstinence was measured using self‐report and was verified by exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) readings. At three months post baseline, total abstinence for programme participants was 22 per cent and reduction rates ranged from 30 per cent to 96 per cent. At four months post‐baseline, 44 per cent of the boys and 14 per cent of the girls reported being smoke free. Findings from this pilot study suggest that N‐O‐T warrants further investigation and redesign with emphasis on more highly prescribed, gender‐sensitive intervention strategies. Consequently, a completely new programme has been developed and is currently being evaluated.