Pharmacological quit smoking products

There are more than 4,000 harmful chemicals in tobacco. Nicotine is the one that makes you addicted to smoking. The idea of nicotine replacement products is to help you gradually wean yourself off nicotine. They deliver a small amount of nicotine to relieve the symptoms of withdrawal. Giving up the replacement product is easier than giving up smoking.

Nicotine replacement products come in many forms, the main ones being:

ñ Nicotine gum,

ñ Nicotine patch,

ñ Nicotine nasal spray, and

ñ Nicotine inhaler.

Proper use of such products can often be the key to successfully quitting for good. Here is an example of how it works:

Stage 1: Stop smoking (NEVER use nicotine replacement products if you are still smoking).

Stage 2: Use nicotine replacement therapy (having first consulted an expert about the best product and dose for you) to help manage your cravings. Gradually reduce the dose in line with the program you are following.

Stage 3: Meanwhile, seek out and start on a support program, such as counseling or group therapy. Make sure you discuss your use of nicotine replacement products in your counseling so the two therapies work with each other.

Aim to be free of both cigarettes and the nicotine replacement product within three to six months.

To decide which product is most likely to help you, talk to a qualified expert. Go and see your doctor, he or she may advise you, or refer you to a smoking cessation expert who knows about appropriate use of nicotine replacement products.

Knowing how dependent you are on nicotine can help you decide whether you wish to use replacement products. Some quitting centres may ask you to fill in a short questionnaire, such as the "Fagerstrom Test" to assess your nicotine dependence. This asks you:

1. How soon do you smoke your first cigarette after waking up?

2. Do you find it difficult to abstain from smoking in places where it is forbidden?

3. Which cigarette would you most hate to give up?

4. How many cigarettes do you smoke a day?

5. Do you smoke more frequently in the morning (in the hours after getting up), than the rest of the day?

6. Do you smoke even if you are so ill you have to stay in bed?

Your answers generate a score that indicates how dependent you are on nicotine. The higher your dependence, the more likely you are to benefit from pharmacological products to help you cope with withdrawal symptoms and quit smoking.

Click here to seen an example of the Fagerstrom Test as part of online Quitting Smoking resources offered by the government of New South Wales in Australia.

Other products are also available, such as bupropion hydrochloride, that target the biologic basis of tobacco addiction. Bupropion is sold under various brand names, eg Zyban, Wellbutrin, and is available on prescription. The drug has a similar effect on the brain as nicotine, it boosts levels of dopamine and norepinephrine to create a sense of wellbeing and vitality. Like all nicotine substitutes, the drug is intended for use with a quit smoking behavior change program.

Date: 2014-12-29; view: 884