Stop Smoking – Products That Make Quitting Easier
January 15th, 2009
Smokers who want to quit can use products that make the process easier. If you want to be one of the only 6% of smokers who succeed at quitting on their first attempt, using one of these products can help.
One of the most popular products is the nicotine patch. It provides a steady, slow release of nicotine that helps reduce the craving to smoke. The nicotine slowly makes its way into the bloodstream through the skin.
Remember that this product, like all products that help you quit, has advantages and disadvantages.
The nicotine patch can be used without other people noticing, since you can attach it anywhere between your waist and neck. Most patches need to be changed daily. These patches can cause irritation on the application site. For this reason, it is best to change the position of the patch at least once every two weeks.
Besides the patch, nicotine chewing gum is also a popular choice. It is also available over the counter. This is no ordinary chewing gum, however. You need to massage it with your teeth in the same spot until you begin to taste something like pepper. Once this sensation occurs, you will need to move the gum to a spot between your gums and your cheek and wait for the pepper taste to go away. This must be done every thirty minutes until the pepper tastes goes away permanently.
Lozenges work in a very similar fashion. Lozenges act quickly and you have some control over the dosage. They come in 2-4 mg dosage tablets and more than one per day can be used, up to about 24 pieces. But, like chewing regular gum, they can fatigue the jaw. Because of the special technique required, they’re less effective if not used properly. They can cause nausea, especially if accidentally swallowed.
Other individuals whose desire it is to quit smoking opt to use a nicotine inhaler. This method lets you decide how much nicotine you want to take it and gives you a feeling similar to that of smoking when you inhale. It also involves the use of your hand like cigarette smoking does. People with COPD or asthma should not use a nicotine inhaler. You should also use caution because it is easy to overdose with this product.
Nasal sprays have similar advantages and drawbacks. They supply nicotine very fast to the bloodstream, but they can cause irritation to the sinus and nasal passages.
All of these products share a similar negative, however. They continue to supply nicotine at a time when the smoker is trying to reduce dependency on that drug. Some may find them to be useful transition aids. But there are non-nicotine methods as well.
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Smoking is both a physical and mental addiction. Most cessation methods focus on stopping the physical cravings, but fail to address the mental addiction. People need help to eliminate the mental cravings that accompany the physical ones. Otherwise there is a very high probability of a relapse.
The most successful way to quit smoking is cold turkey.