Auricular acupuncture, education, and smoking cessation: a randomized, sham-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES This study examined the effect of acupuncture alone and in combination with education on smoking cessation and cigarette consumption. METHODS We prospectively studied 141 adults in a quasi-factorial design using acupuncture, sham acupuncture, and education. RESULTS All groups showed significant reductions in smoking and posttreatment cigarette consumption, with the combined acupuncture-education group showing the greatest effect from treatment. The trend continued in follow-up; however, significant differences were not maintained. Greater pack-year history (i.e. the number of years smoking multiplied by baseline number of cigarettes smoked per year, divided by 20 cigarettes per pack) negatively correlated with treatment effect. Trend analysis suggested 20 pack-years as the cutoff point for this correlation. CONCLUSIONS Acupuncture and education, alone and in combination, significantly reduce smoking; however, combined they show a significantly greater effect, as seen in subjects with a greater pack-year history.