Nicotine nasal spray has shown promise as a smoking-cessation aid for adults but is surprisingly unpopular with teens, according to a study of adolescent smokers who were trying to quit, Reuters reported Sept. 10.

Researchers said 57 percent of the teens stopped using the spray after just one week, complaining of side effects such as unpleasant odor and a burning sensation in their noses. Most of those who continued using the spray applied it much less frequently than recommended, and the spray did not make a difference in smoking-cessation outcomes in the study group.

Researchers said they did not expect so many teens to reject the spray. "It's actually one of the most effective forms of nicotine replacement in adults," said researcher Mark L. Rubenstein of the University of California at San Francisco. "Usually the side effects are supposed to wear off during the first week."

Rubenstein said the spray's unpopularity could be due to teens' greater sensitivity to or dislike of nasally-administered medications compared to adults. Quitting smoking may simply be harder for teens than adults, he added.

The study was published in the September 2008 issue of the journal Pediatrics.