N-acetylcysteine is an inexpensive agent with a benign side effect profile with preliminary
studies in humans suggesting efficacy for the treatment of cocaine dependence.
N-acetylcysteine has been used in clinical medicine for nearly three decades to treat chronic
lung conditions, acetaminophen overdose, and experimentally to treat cocaine dependence. It
is generally safe and well tolerated. The present pilot study seeks to explore safety and
tolerability, ad lib smoking, visual cue reactivity, and smoking reduction rates in a group
of nontreatment seeking, nicotine dependence smokers who are willing to undergo a brief trial
with oral N-acetylcysteine 1200 mg twice daily.