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The Zonnic and Patch study has stopped enrolling new people into the study. The study will be completed by the end of July 2012 and the results will be reported in August 2012. In August 2011 a new study is being conducted at the University of Otago in Wellington of a nicotine inhaler. For more information about the inhaler study see www.otago.ac.nz/inhale.

Information about the Zonnic study is shown below.

About the study

New and improved nicotine replacement therapies are needed now. This is because 90% of smokers fail to stay quit from smoking one year after using the nicotine replacement therapies that are currently available (like nicotine gum, nicotine patches). Zonnic is a nicotine mouth-spray which may be more effective than nicotine gum and nicotine patches because Zonnic reduces your urges to smoke more quickly than gum and patches.

What happens in the study?

In this study, half the participants will take:

1 active nicotine patch per day (to reduce withdrawal symptoms like irritability, restlessness, poor concentration etc)
Active Zonnic mouth-spray whenever they feel an urge to smoke to get the urge to go away.

Half the participants will take:

1 active nicotine patch per day (to reduce withdrawal symptoms like irritability, restlessness, poor concentration)
Placebo-Zonnic mouth-spray whenever they feel an urge to smoke to get the urge to go away (placebo Zonnic contains no nicotine. In order for the study to be scientific half the people have to get placebo Zonnic).

Read more about the Zonnic study

How long does this study take?

We will be enrolling new people into this study between 9 March 2010 and April 2011. Participants take the nicotine patches for 5 months, and Zonnic for 6 months.

Participants can visit one of the following centres :

  • Kokiri Marae, 7-9 Barnes Street, Seaview, Lower Hutt
  • Aukati Kai Paipa, Pember House, Room 10. 4th floor 16 Hagley Street, Porirua
  • University of Otago, Christchurch National Addiction Centre, Terrace House, 4 Oxford Terrace, Christchurch.
  • University of otago, Christchurch medical school, 2 Riccarton Avenue, Christchurch

These visits are for a total of 5 times (20 – 60 minutes per visit) to answer questionnaires, blow into a machine, receive brief smoking cessation counselling. The five visits occur at Week 1 (baseline), Week 2, Week 18, Week 31, and Week 57.

Do participants have to stop smoking immediately?

No, participants do not have to quit smoking immediately. Participants record how much they smoke every day for one week, then they start taking nicotine patches every day and use the Zonnic/placebo-Zonnic.
Participants may continue to smoke for the first three weeks while they take the patches and Zonnic (but we ask that they reduce the amount they smoke during this period).

After three weeks of patch and Zonnic therapy subjects must quit smoking.

Who can take part in this study?

Anyone who is aged between 18 and 70, who smokes 9 or more cigarettes per day.

Who cannot take part in this study?

  • People who are allergic to nicotine patches.
  • People with a serious medical condition,
  • People who have high blood pressure, or who have something wrong with their heart or blood vessels (fast or irregular heart rhythm, angina, chest pain, had a heart attack or stroke),
    or who have ever had a stomach ulcer, or heartburn; or if you have had a stroke, kidney disease, liver disease, over-active thyroid, phaeochromocytoma (tumour of the adrenal gland), or diabetes.
  • Pregnant women and women who are not using contraception (if appropriate).
  • People who regularly drink more than the healthy recommended amount of alcohol
  • People who use illegal drugs.
  • If you take medicines such as: theophylline, insulin, imipramine, pentazocline

Further information about the Zonnic study

Read more about the Zonnic study

Or contact us :

email : zonnic@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 4 918 6041
Mob +64 (0)21 87 22 64

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