Objective To compare the clinical efficacy between auricular point sticking combined with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation（TEAS） and nicotine patch for smoking cessation. Methods Two hundred patients who voluntarily quit smoking were randomly divided into a combination group and a nicotine patch group

100 cases in each group. In the combination group

auricular point sticking(Shenmen [TF

4

]

Neifenmi [CO

18

]

Pizhixia [AT

4

]

Jiaogan [AH

6a

]

etc.

once every other day) combined with TEAS（Lieque [LU 7]

and Zusanli [ST 36]

with continuous wave

20 Hz in frequency

1 mA in current intensity

30 min each time

once a day） were applied. In the nicotine patch group

nicotine patch was applied. Both groups were treated for 8 weeks. The immediate withdrawal rate and persistent withdrawal rate 8 weeks into treatment and in follow-up of 16 weeks after treatment in the two groups were compared; before treatment

8 weeks into treatment and in follow-up of 16 weeks after treatment

the degree of nicotine dependence was evaluated by using Fagerstr?m test for nicotine dependence（FTND）; 1 week into treatment

8 weeks into treatment and in follow-up of 16 weeks after treatment

the withdrawal symptoms and smoking craving were evaluated by using Minnesota nicotine withdrawal scale（MNWS）; the safety and compliance（dropped off rate and treatment completeness） were evaluated in the two groups. Results There was no statistical significance of the differences in the immediate withdrawal rate and persistent withdrawal rate 8 weeks into treatment and during follow-up between the two groups（P

>

0.05）. The FTND scores were decreased 8 weeks into treatment and during follow-up in the two groups compared with those before treatment（P

<

0.01）; the FTND score during follow-up in the combination group was lower than the nicotine patch group（P

<

0.05）. The MNWS scores were decreased 8weeks into treatment and during follow-up in the two groups compared with those 1 week into treatment（P

<

0.05）; the changes of MNWS scores 8 weeks into treatment and during follow-up in the combination group were greater than the nicotine patch group（P

<

0.05

P

<

0.01）. There were no serious adverse reactions in either group. Eight weeks into treatment and during follow-up

the dropped off rates were all 16.0%（16/100） in the combination group

which were 20.0%（20/100）and 23.0%（23/100） in the nicotine patch group

there was no statistical significance of the differences in the two groups（P

>

0.05）. There was no significant difference in treatment completeness between the two groups（P

>

0.05） Conclusion Auricular point sticking combined with TEAS could effective decrease the degree of nicotine dependence

improve withdrawal symptoms in smokers

its effect is superior to nicotine patch.