Homeopathic Intervention for Tobacco Addiction: A Brazilian Experience

Background: The National Tobacco Control Program (PNCT) in Brazil aims to reduce smoking prevalence and the morbidity associated with tobacco use. This project seeks to compare the efficacy of homeopathy and conventional treatment in reducing or eliminating smoking addiction. Methods: A comparative study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of homeopathy versus nicotine patches at the Municipal Health Secretary of Duque de Caxias (SMSDC) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The PNCT protocol was applied, consisting of four weekly meetings and monthly follow-ups over 1 year. During this period, participants received cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with either nicotine patches or homeopathic tablets. The study involved 79 volunteers, following ethical authorization (SMS-DC-DVS/2022). Recruitment occurred in two distinct years: 2019 and 2023. This temporal separation allowed for a comparison of interventions: in 2019, 39 volunteers were treated exclusively with nicotine patches, while in 2023, 40 volunteers underwent individualized homeopathic intervention. The homeopathic intervention was personalized, with each participant treated using smoke extracted from their cigarette of dependence through the Isomaker apparatus. The extracted smoke solutions were dynamized according to the Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopeia, and lactose tablets were prepared using the 6cH potency. Results: As recommended by the PNCT protocol, evaluations were conducted after the fourth meeting. The results from 2019 were compared with those from 2023. Among the 40 volunteers in the homeopathic group, 13 reduced their daily cigarette consumption by half, 19 completely quit smoking, and 1 continued smoking. In contrast, of the 39 participants treated with nicotine patches in 2019, 16 quit smoking, none reduced their consumption, and 5 continued smoking. Conclusion: Homeopathic treatment appears to be a safe and cost-effective intervention for reducing or ceasing cigarette consumption. This project is ongoing at SMSDC to further validate these promising results with homeopathy.