Document is current

Article History

Received: 20 August 2018

Accepted: 29 October 2018

First Online: 14 November 2018

Ethics approval and consent to participate

: The study has received full ethical approval from London South Bank University’s ethics committee (approval date: 4/07/2018; reference SAS1815). Participants will provide written informed consent online prior to the start of the study. All data will be anonymous from the outset as no names or identification details will be collected.

: CK has no competing interest.DF is principal investigator on a randomised controlled trial funded by Allen Carr’s Easyway Ltd. (ISRCN number: ISRCTN23584477). This trial is comparing the Allen Carr Easyway stop-smoking method to local NHS 1–1 stop smoking counselling service. The trial is being conducted independently, the protocol and analysis plan are both pre-registered and the research team are contractually free to independently publish the results of the trial regardless of the study outcome. DF has no other conflicts of interest to declare.SC has provided consultancy services to UK life insurers on smoking cessation and reduce risk products prevalence rates.IA is an investigator on a randomised controlled trial funded by Allen Carr’s Easyway Ltd. (ISRCN number: ISRCTN23584477). This trial is comparing the Allen Carr Easyway stop-smoking method to local NHS 1–1 stop smoking counselling service. The trial is being conducted independently, the protocol and analysis plan are both pre-registered and the research team are contractually free to independently publish the results of the trial regardless of the study outcome.LD has provided consultancy for the pharmaceutical industry (2015, 2017) and acted as an expert witness for an e-cigarette patent infringement case (2015). Between 2011 and 2013 she conducted research for several independent electronic cigarette companies for which the University of East London received funds. The e-cigarette companies involved had no input into the design, conduct or write up of these projects.

: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.