[Hemmer:] We're back. Sanjay Gupta is out today. Medical headlines today, the new research suggests that certain personal factors like gender and race could determine the best way to quit smoking. Interesting stuff here, too. Dr. Thomas Glynn, American Cancer Society, our guest now from D.C. Nice to have you, doctor. Good morning to you.
[Dr. Thomas Glynn, American Cancer Society:] Thank you for having me.
[Hemmer:] So let's see here. We took the nicotine patch and the nicotine nasal spray, you compared it with smokers, trying to help them quit, and you found varying rates of success, depending on the individual. Explain that for us.
[Glynn:] Well, the primary thing is it's great news for the 30 million Americans who want to stop smoking, because what they found was in this research, people who use the nicotine patch tended to be able to, if they were white, if they were not obese, or if they were low or moderate dependent on smoking, be more successful. If they used the nicotine nasal spray, they were more successful if they were highly dependent, if they were African-American, or other minority, and if they were obese.
[Hemmer:] Well, it takes us to an obvious question: Why does one work for some better than others?
[Glynn:] And that's what the researchers wanted to find out. And it's still intriguing. It's not final research, but does give us the opportunity here to be able to individualize treatment. We have had these medications for tobacco control for a while, but we haven't been able to zero in on who should use what. What we've been able to see from this research is, at least suggest is, that now we can individualize, for instance, that the nasal spray has more immediate reward. It's more active. It enables you to use your hands. It provides people who are more highly dependent with a better way of stopping. The nicotine patch is a little more passive. It delivers the nicotine more slowly, and seems to be better for those who are not as highly dependent.
[Hemmer:] So as a doctor then, how would you use this information to treat individuals more specifically?
[Glynn:] Well, when you have a smoker who is in and says, I want to stop, and at least 70 percent of them do, what you can be able to do is at least from what we can see from this research early on, be able to zero on, for instance, if a smoker is very heavy, if there's obese, you may suggest that the nasal spray is better for them than the patch. If they are a less dependent smoker, then the patch may be better. We really have not been able, before this, to be able to say, OK, for you, this works better, for you, this works better.
[Hemmer:] You are saying this is revolutionary, aren't you?
[Glynn:] It really it does look like it enables us to be able to finally be able to say, for you, this will work, for you, this won't work as well. It's still preliminary research. That's something that we always say, and we need to remember that. It was done on about 300 smokers, but it's very solid research, and really gives us a road map to the future and how we can use the medications we have.
[Hemmer:] Revolutionary with a small "r," then.
[Glynn:] Yes, that's a good description.
[Hemmer:] Quickly here, about 15 seconds left here, the quitting methods most successful, we can show the viewers on our screen, 2-4 percent quit without any help. That is extremely low. You get into medications, you double your chances. Medications, plus counseling, you triple your chances.
[Glynn:] That's right, and that's the best way to do it. Get medication, get some counseling. You can get counseling from your physician, you can call a quit line, you can call the American Cancer Society. but you can get it done, and if you do you will be a lot healthier.
[Hemmer:] Dr. Thomas Glynn, thanks for sharing. Good stuff.
[Glynn:] Thank you.
[Hemmer:] Appreciate it Soledad.
[O'brien:] All right, I know snow is in the forecast, but believe it or not, spring is in the air, and in some city, that's not all that's in the air. The Asthma and Allergy foundation of America has released its list of allergy capitals. The top five, Louisville, Kentucky; Austin, Texas; St. Louis, Atlanta and Charlotte. They are the American cities where allergies are most severe. See, New York didn't make the list, because unless you visit you Central Park, you are nowhere near a tree.
[Hemmer:] I used to live in Atlanta. Let me tell you, I never knew I had allergies until I moved to Atlanta.
[O'brien:] Really? Aren't you glad live in New York now.
[Hemmer:] Amen.
[O'brien:] Less greenery.
[Hemmer:] Put that in the money in an e-mail, too. In a moment here, putting your music where your mouth is. A Java giant selling CDs, and serving them up, along with that cappucino. We will tell you where to get them in a moment. Andy's back with that, Jack as well, right after this.