Pilot trial of delayed versus immediate financial incentives for smoking cessation.

Sathya et al. (2026) ran a small pilot with adult smokers who wanted to quit. Half got a $40 voucher right after each weekly clean breath test. The other half got the same $40, but only after the whole eight-week study ended.

Both groups could earn up to $320 total. The team tracked who stayed smoke-free each week and who was still abstinent six months later.

Delayed and immediate pay delivered almost identical quit rates—about one in three stayed smoke-free during treatment. Three out of four quitters were still abstinent six months later, even if they had to wait for the cash.

In short, holding the money until the end did not hurt results.

Leigh et al. (2015) showed that bigger payments each week keep adults abstinent longer than flat ones. Sathya’s team kept the weekly amount the same, but simply moved the payday. Together, the studies hint that the size or growth of the reward may matter more than the exact timing.

Dallery et al. (2008) asked smokers to put down a $50 deposit up front, then gave it back for clean tests. Their outcomes matched Sathya’s delayed group, but the deposit method cost programs less. Both papers point to the same takeaway: you can shift when or how clients pay without losing power.

DeFulio et al. (2023) used a phone app to verify buprenorphine adherence and paid later. Sathya’s delayed vouchers show the same late-pay idea works for smoking, not just opiates.

If you run a smoking-cessation program, you can now wait to pay without hurting success. Delaying the reward keeps cash in your budget longer and may cut no-shows. Try offering the full purse at graduation next cycle and watch your wallet—and quit rates—stay healthy.