J Korean Acad Fam Med.  2001 Jul;22(7):1105-1111.

Effectiveness of aromatherapy in smoking cessation

• Kwon GI
• Ha SW
• Cheong YS
• Park EW
• Yoo SM

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The harmfulness of cigarette smoking is widely known, as a result the interest of smoking cessation is increasing. Some smoking cessation methods have tried at clinical setting, but with exception of nicotine replacement therapy, the long term result is not satisfactory. The objective of this study is to determine of smoking cessation effectiveness of aromatherapy, which one of the alternative medicine, attracted public attention recently.
METHODS
All participants of this study used nicotine patch, and as a double blind randomized control study with use of natural herb aroma which is known to have tranquility effect and placebo(artificial lemon perfume). The subjects consist of Dan Kook University Hospital workers who volunteered as smoking cessation. 6 weeks of smoking cessation program was conducted using nicotine patch and aroma or nicotine patch and placebo, and the result were verified 6 weeks and 6 month after the start of smoking cessation. RESULT: Fifty three male persons(27 in aroma, 26 in placebo) participated and three subjects(2 in aroma, one in placebo) were dropped out. In two groups, participants with successful results were 13 persons in aroma group, and 14 persons in placebo group at 6 week later, and 6 persons and 7 persons respective at 6 month later. There was no statistical difference in two groups.
CONCLUSION
There was no statistical difference between the herb aroma and placebo with smoking cessation effect.

Keyword

smoking cessation; aromatherapy; herb; placebo

MeSH Terms

Aromatherapy*
Complementary Therapies
Humans
Male
Nicotine
Smoke*
Smoking Cessation*
Smoking*
Tobacco Use Cessation Products
Nicotine
Smoke