Some of my patients who successfully quit
smoking after reading Allen Carr's book and reports from Occupational
Physicians about Allen Carr's Easyway seminars/clinics made me curious.
First I decided to evaluate the seminars that were presented to employees in
their workplaces over a period of 4 months. Successful quitters developed
better mental and general health, vitality, physical and social functioning. I
was amazed also about the unusually high quit rate after a single intervention:
The 1 year quit rate was 40% (worst case assumption) to 55% (best estimate).
To control the results in a different setting and for a longer period of time I
decided for a second cohort study in a large steel plant, where the
occupational physicians were willing to make the follow up after the seminar by
telephone over a mean of 3 years. Of 510 persons 51.4% reported continuing
abstinence.
In a random sample of respondents cotinine concentration in urine was measured,
showing agreement with smoking history. Of all persons interviewed 50.9%
reported long-term abstinence.
Overall the success rates of Allen Carr's Easyway seminars in the occupational
setting exceeded those achieved by other methods. Every second smoker motivated
to participate seems to be able to quit, even without medication, and to stay
abstinent.