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Recent Clinical Trial Compared Phone Apps for Smoking Cessation Success

A recent study published in Jama Network, analysed whether a smartphone application based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is more effective for smoking cessation.

Diane Caruana

February 25, 2021

A randomized clinical trial of 2415 adult smokers with a 12-month follow-up and high retention, were divided into 2 groups. One group was assigned an ACT-based smoking cessation application, iCanQuit, while the second group was assigned QuitGuide, a National Cancer Institute smoking cessation application based on US clinical practice guidelines (USCPG).

The iCanQuit app aims to teach acceptance of smoking triggers, while the QuitGuide app is based on avoiding triggers.

Smartphone applications for smoking cessation are believed to address barriers to accessing traditional treatments, yet there is limited evidence for their efficacy. The iCanQuit app aims to teach acceptance of smoking triggers, while the QuitGuide app is based on avoiding triggers. This study found that the former, iCanQuit, was more effective, and users had 1.49 times higher odds of quitting smoking in comparison to the other group.

“This trial provides evidence that, compared with a USCPG-based smartphone application, an ACT-based smartphone application was more efficacious for quitting cigarette smoking and thus can be an impactful treatment option,” concluded the researchers.

Apple removed all vape related apps

Last year, in response to the US panic surrounding vaping and its alleged link to EVALI, Apple had removed all 181 vape-related apps from the iOS App Store. While apple users who had already downloaded any vaping apps were able keep using them undisturbed, the apps were made unavailable for download.

Some of these apps were useful and informative, providing news and/or practical features, such as allowing users to adjust the temperature and other settings on their devices. To this effect, Pax Labs, which had launched its app on Android and iPhone, launched a desktop app which offers access to device controls, cannabis strain information and safety features, making it clear that this came in response to the action by Apple. “Built in response to Apple’s removal of vaporization-related apps from the App Store,” said the firm in a press release.