Should smokers be automatically signed up for quit programs?

NCT ID NCT03477435

First seen Mar 20, 2026 · Last updated Jun 19, 2026 · Updated 12 times

Summary

This study compares two approaches to helping smokers quit: an opt-out method where everyone is automatically referred unless they say no, versus an opt-in method where people must actively sign up. Over 1,300 veterans at VA clinics in New York are taking part. The goal is to see which approach leads to more people accepting and using quitline or text-messaging support.

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This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • VA NY Harbor Healthcare System, New York, NY

    New York, New York, 10010-5011, United States

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Staff training and academic detailing

What this could lead to

If it works, this could show that an opt-out approach gets more smokers into treatment and helps more people quit.

What could go wrong

This is a behavioral study, not a drug trial. Results may not apply outside VA clinics, and self-reported quit rates can be unreliable.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

nicotine dependence Smoking Smoking Cessation Tobacco Use

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.