Medication Samples and Smoking Cessation Among Adults

Source:

Carpenter MJ, Smith TT, Wahlquist AE, et al. Medication Samples and Smoking Cessation Among Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2026;9(5):e2611418. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.11418

Key Points

Question  Does provision of varenicline samples, given broadly and with minimal guidance or instruction, facilitate smoking cessation among adults who smoke?

Finding  This randomized clinical trial with 651 adults who smoke found that varenicline sampling led to increases in smoking cessation relative to no medication sampling and to marginal increases in cessation relative to sampling of nicotine replacement therapies.

Meaning  Findings suggest that provision of a prescription cessation medication in an unguided context yields improvements in smoking cessation.