DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• African American who has smoked ≤ 10 cigarettes per day for ≥ 2 years AND has smoked for ≥ 25 days within the past month

  • Not a heavy smoker
  • No other forms of tobacco within the past 30 days
• Must be interested in stopping smoking
• No other smoker in the household enrolled in this study

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Has a home address and a functioning telephone number
• Not planning to move from the Kansas City metro area within the next 12 months
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• No alcohol or substance abuse within the past year
• Not currently drinking ≥ 14 alcoholic drinks per week
• No binge drinking (5 or more drinks on one occasion) on at least two occasions within the past month
• No history of seizures or head trauma
• No history of bulimia or anorexia nervosa
• No myocardial infarction within the past 30 days
• No reported use of opiates, cocaine, or stimulants
• No diabetes requiring oral hypoglycemics or insulin

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• More than 30 days since prior nicotine replacement therapy, fluoxetine, clonidine, buspirone, or doxepin
• No other concurrent medication that contains bupropion hydrochloride
• No concurrent psychoactive medications