DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of stage I or II non-small cell lung cancer with complete resection of all disease

  • Must be free of recurrent or progressive disease

• Current smoker defined as:

  • Smoked at least 100 cigarettes in entire life AND
  • Currently smoking some days or every day
• Must establish a quit date that falls within 30 days after registration, but 7 days after physician advice and start of bupropion or placebo therapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• Zubrod 0-2

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Not specified

Cardiovascular:

• Not within an immediate post-infarction period
• No uncontrolled arrhythmias
• No unstable angina
• No uncontrolled hypertension (unstable blood pressure, diastolic pressure 90 mm Hg or greater)

Other:

• Must be able to read, speak, and understand English
• Must be willing to allow testing of saliva for cotinine levels
• No history of seizures
• No history of eating disorders
• No known drug-drug interactions between nicotine patch and/or bupropion and patient's current or planned medications including chemotherapy and antiemetics
• No concurrent psychiatric diagnosis that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• Concurrent adjuvant chemotherapy allowed

Endocrine therapy:

• No concurrent systemic steroids

Radiotherapy:

• Concurrent adjuvant radiotherapy allowed

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior surgery

Other:

• Prior neoadjuvant therapy allowed
• At least 14 days since prior medications containing bupropion (e.g., Wellbutrin or Wellbutrin SR)
• No other concurrent medications that contain bupropion (e.g., Wellbutrin or Wellbutrin SR)
• No concurrent monoamine oxidase inhibitors
• No concurrent medications that lower seizure threshold (e.g., antipsychotics, antidepressants, or theophylline)
• No other concurrent nicotine replacement therapy