Medication Treatment
Adaptive treatment participants were provided with their chosen medication (nicotine patch or varenicline) 4 weeks before the target quit day. Varenicline was up-titrated over the first week of treatment to 1 mg twice daily. The nicotine patch was started at 14 to 21 mg based on baseline cigarettes smoked per day. Standard treatment participants who chose to use varenicline were provided with a placebo during starting at 4 weeks before the target quit day, then received varenicline starting 1 week before the target quit day. Standard treatment participants who chose to use nicotine patches received placebo patches starting 4 weeks before the target quit day, then received real nicotine patches starting on the target quit day. All medications were continued for 12 weeks after the target quit day. Similar to a previous study on adaptive treatment that directed participants to continue ad libitum smoking during precessation treatment,