{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,7]],"date-time":"2026-08-07T15:23:37Z","timestamp":1786116217602,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"Maad Rayan Publishing Company","content-domain":{"domain":["ahj.kmu.ac.ir"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Addict Health"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Nicotine lozenges help reduce nicotine gradually. They are a discreet NRT alternative. This study compared nicotine dependence, cotinine levels, quit rates, and physical effects before and after one month of NRT lozenges, laser therapy, and counselling. Methods: This randomised controlled trial tested nicotine lozenges, laser therapy, and counselling. This trial included 75 participants (25 per group) over one month. Seventy-five participants were divided into three groups of 25. The \"Jus-Check\u2122 Rapid Nicotine Test\" was used. Laser therapy targeted both ears weekly for four weeks, with counselling provided weekly. Primary outcomes included nicotine dependence, cotinine levels (saliva\/urine), and quit rates; whereas, secondary outcomes included physical effects before and after intervention. Findings: The results showed a significant decrease in nicotine dependence and cotinine (P&lt;0.001) in all groups. However, differences between groups and quit rates were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Nicotine lozenges are as effective as laser therapy and counselling for quitting smokeless tobacco. This approach reduces dependence, lowers cotinine, increases quit rates, and improves physical effects.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.34172\/ahj.1673","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,6]],"date-time":"2026-08-06T08:18:50Z","timestamp":1786004330000},"page":"1673","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.34172\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Comparative Evaluation of the Effect of Pharmacotherapy, Low-Level Laser Therapy, and Behavioral Counseling on Tobacco Cessation: A Parallel Randomized Clinical Trial"],"prefix":"10.34172","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2462-6230","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Neha","family":"Shukla","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Public Health Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zainab","family":"Akram","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Public Health Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4274-9565","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Mahesh Ravindra","family":"Khairnar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Public Health Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Naveen Kumar","family":"PG","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Public Health Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jadhav Sachin","family":"Kumar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Public Health Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Savitha Priyadarsini","family":"Santhanam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Public Health Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"20123","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"R1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3831\/kpi.2020.23.001"},{"key":"R2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nrn4004"},{"key":"R3","unstructured":"Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Global Adult Tobacco Survey India, 2016-17 (GATS 2 India). Available from: https:\/\/ntcp.mohfw.gov.in\/assets\/document\/surveys-reports-publications\/Global-Adult-Tobacco-Survey-Second-Round-India-2016-2017.pdf."},{"key":"R4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/aje\/kwu182"},{"key":"R5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/tc.2004.008789"},{"key":"R6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12170-010-0124-6"},{"key":"R7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1477-7517-12-2"},{"key":"R8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mayocp.2013.06.009"},{"key":"R9","first-page":"100","article-title":"Meta-analysis of clinical efficacy of acupuncture in treating simple obesity","volume":"16","author":"Li DP","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Hubei Univ Tradit Chin Med"},{"key":"R10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/ntr\/ntp154"},{"key":"R11","unstructured":"Goniewicz ML, Zyme\u0142ka A, Czoga\u0142a J, Koszowski B. 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