On 2017 Oct 17, Joel Nitzkin commented:

I don't think any conclusions can be drawn from this study with regard to softening or hardening without considering the totality of continuing nicotine intake by the various categories of distressed individuals. A new element, not considered by these authors is the development of electronic nicotine delivery systems that can satisfy the urge to smoke for these and other smokers. Pretending that these products do not exist or that these distressed smokers are not utilizing them, or that self-administered nicotine does not provide significant cognitive benefit to these smokers is to blind ourselves to the possibility that these products may offer a new pathway to more substantial reduction in cigarette consumption than has been considered to date.

On 2017 Oct 17, Peter Hajek commented:

The data presented here do not support the 'softening' claim. Objective measures of nicotine intake are needed to see if the reduction in number of cigarettes, which is likely to be a response to increased cost of smoking, generated any reduction in nicotine intake. People may or may not smoke the remaining cigarettes with more puffs and deeper inhalations. Regarding the second finding, a history of more failed quit attempts implies hardening rather than softening.

On 2017 Oct 17, Peter Hajek commented:

The data presented here do not support the 'softening' claim. Objective measures of nicotine intake are needed to see if the reduction in number of cigarettes, which is likely to be a response to increased cost of smoking, generated any reduction in nicotine intake. People may or may not smoke the remaining cigarettes with more puffs and deeper inhalations. Regarding the second finding, a history of more failed quit attempts implies hardening rather than softening.

On 2017 Oct 17, Joel Nitzkin commented:

I don't think any conclusions can be drawn from this study with regard to softening or hardening without considering the totality of continuing nicotine intake by the various categories of distressed individuals. A new element, not considered by these authors is the development of electronic nicotine delivery systems that can satisfy the urge to smoke for these and other smokers. Pretending that these products do not exist or that these distressed smokers are not utilizing them, or that self-administered nicotine does not provide significant cognitive benefit to these smokers is to blind ourselves to the possibility that these products may offer a new pathway to more substantial reduction in cigarette consumption than has been considered to date.