Smoking Cessation Delayed for Some: Are "Quitters" Too Quick to Give Up?

(CBS) Addiction experts have a word advice for tobacco junkies who fear their efforts to kick the habit will go up in smoke:

Don't give up too soon.

Many smokers who fail to quit, but keep trying, eventually succeed, according to a new study by scientists at Oregon Health & Science University.

"Patients also can become discouraged that a treatment is not working and worry about continuing to pay for treatments they believe do not work," the study's lead author, Dr. David Gonzales, a senior clinical investigator at the university, said in a written statement. "As a result, cessation treatment for some patients may be discontinued before the prescribed treatment period is completed and the patient and/or the treatment considered a failure."

The scientists followed thousands of smokers who were trying to quit over a 12-week program. Each smoker received counseling, some also being given one of two smoking cessation drugs, varenicline or bupropion.

They identified two types of successful quitters: those who quit immediately and those who kept smoking initially but ultimately put aside their lighters.

"Had treatment been interrupted or discontinued for these 'delayed quitters,' opportunities for achieving continuous abstinence could have been lost for up to 45 percent of quitters who were ultimately successful," Gonzales said.

The study was published on September 1 in the journal Addiction.