Volunteers Sought for Study of Use of Spit Tobacco

Tuesday, October 31, 2000

ROCHESTER, MINN. — The Mayo Clinic Nicotine Research Center seeks teens aged 13 to 17 years who want to stop using spit tobacco (chewing tobacco and snuff). The study will test the effect that the nicotine patch has on curtailing the use of spit tobacco.

"This is the first study using nicotine patches to help teen spit tobacco users stop," says principal investigator Jon Ebbert, M.D., a Mayo Clinic internal medicine physician. "Spit tobacco use is a serious problem in Minnesota teens, and we need to learn how to help them stop."

Qualified subjects will be randomly assigned to receive the 21 mg/24-hour nicotine patch or a placebo patch. In addition, all participants will receive individual counseling and information about tobacco cessation. Compensation will be offered for completion of the study.

Anyone interested in this study should call the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Research Center at 800-848-7853 or 507-266-1165 if calling locally.

### Contact: Shelly Plutowski 507-284-2417 (days) 507-284-2511 (evenings) e-mail: newsbureau@mayo.edu

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