Want to stop smoking? You’ve got options
So the cost of smoking – both physically and financially – has finally gotten scary enough that you’ve made up your mind to stop.
But how?
Will you go cold turkey? Use nicotine replacement therapies such as patches or gum? Or turn to prescription medications?
There is no “right” way to quit smoking, says Thomas Brandon, a University of South Florida professor of psychology and oncologic sciences and director of the Tobacco Research & Intervention Program at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute.
“It takes many attempts to stop smoking,“ he says. “Try different methods, and try them again.“
And if something doesn’t work, that doesn’t mean it failed. “It just means it didn’t work for you this time. It may work the next time,“ Brandon says.
A federal tax hike on tobacco has pushed the cost of cigarettes to nearly $5 a pack – smack in the middle of a recession. Brandon sees that as a great incentive for giving them up now.
“Whenever the price of cigarettes goes up, this motivates some people to quit smoking,“ he said. “Even though it’s a highly addictive drug, its purchase is influenced by economic factors. More and more, smokers represent the lower socioeconomic groups in our society.“
About one in five Americans still lights up regularly, according to the American Cancer Society. If you’re in that group, and you’re ready to consider kicking the habit, we’ve rounded up methods that might help. We’ve included some success rates from clinical trials along with anecdotal info from former smokers – and some who still are trying to quit.
Some insurance companies pay for these therapies, others do not. Check with your provider. And be sure to consult your doctor before starting a program to quit smoking.
As part of a research project, the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute’s Tobacco Research and Intervention Program provides smoking cessation programs to the public at a very low cost. For information, call (813) 745-1751.
Cold Turkey
After smoking for years, Tanea Breary, 27, decided to stop using sheer willpower. Breary, who used to smoke about a pack a week, says she’s had only a “few” cigarettes since quitting April 1. But she has her work cut out for her – only 10 percent to 15 percent of smokers are successful six months after quitting on their own.
“I want to quit because of my health and my family,“ says Breary, a nursing assistant. “My mother really doesn’t like it.“
Breary says the increase in cigarette prices helped boost her determination. “Who can afford to buy cigarettes? People can barely buy food right now.“
Tips for success: Keep your mouth and your hands busy. Chew gum or suck on hard candy. Take up knitting or score the baseball game while you watch it on TV. When a craving hits, close your eyes and count to 10 while taking deep breaths. Take a walk or call a friend for some support. Don’t talk about smoking!
Smoking Cessation Programs
Support programs – designed to help smokers prepare for and cope with problems that come up while they’re quitting – can be one-on-one, done in a group or by telephone.
Many employers offer smoking cessation or wellness programs that offer free counseling and discounted (or free) nicotine replacement products. The American Lung Association, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and other nonprofit organizations also offer support programs; check their Web sites for information.
Tips for success: Brandon says taking part in a cessation program – learning the nature of nicotine dependence, withdrawal, and how to deal with cigarette cravings – can double your chances of quitting for good.
Nicotine Patch/Gum/Lozenges
Available over-the-counter, these FDA-approved products help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. The nicotine patch, which Brandon favors, delivers a steady stream of nicotine through the skin. The patches are available in various strengths and are used for a designated period of time.
“I like them because they’re easy to use,“ Brandon says. “You put it on and it provides a steady blood level of nicotine throughout the day, so you don’t have any of the highs and lows.“
Nicotine gum is chewed as needed and delivers nicotine to the bloodstream through the lining of the mouth. Lozenges are dissolved in the mouth (not swallowed). Depending on the brand, we found prices for the patch starting about $20 for 10; $21 for a pack of 40 pieces of nicotine gum, and $12 for 36 lozenges.
Nicotine replacement therapies have about a 20 percent to 25 percent success rate after six months.
Tips for success: In general, you can start using nicotine replacement therapy as soon as you throw away that last cigarette. (You should double-check this information with the instructions on your chosen method of nicotine replacement.)
Nasal spray/inhaler
Available by prescription only, these are the least popular of the FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapies, Brandon says. The spray delivers a dose of nicotine through the nasal passages; the inhaler delivers a vaporized form of nicotine through the mouth. The nasal spray can be irritating, Brandon says.
Tips for success: The nasal spray quickly relieves withdrawal symptoms and it’s easy to use, but the FDA warns that because it contains nicotine, it can allow addiction to continue. The FDA recommends that the spray be prescribed for three-month periods and it shouldn’t be used for longer than six months. The nicotine inhaler most mimics the feel of a cigarette and can keep your hands busy, which can help in the short term, but it can make it harder to break the habit in the future, Brandon says.
Zyban/Wellbutrin (Bupropion SR)
Brian Whitman, a 14-year smoker, quit successfully the second time around using Zyban, a medication originally used as an antidepressant. Whitman, 28, has been smoke-free for two years.
“It really takes away the cravings,“ says the Land O’ Lakes electrician. “I think cigarettes smell horrific now.“
Zyban is available by prescription for around $155 for a one-month supply (a generic will run you about $48). Whitman, a veteran, went through the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital’s smoking cessation program and received his medication for about $5. Veterans who go through the VA smoking cessation program can get their medication for a similar price.
Smoking never fit into Charisse Webb’s healthy lifestyle. After smoking a pack-a-day for 30 years, she was finally ready to quit.
“I’ve wanted to quit since I was in my 20s,“ Webb said. “I used to hike and my chest burned.“
In 2001, Webb turned to Wellbutrin, an antidepressant that reduces nicotine cravings. She took it for about a week and set a day to quit. But she never made it to her end date.
“I couldn’t get the pill in my mouth,“ recalls Webb, a nurse and Poison Information Specialist at Tampa General Hospital. “I was sick to my stomach. I had headaches, bad dreams, shaking, nausea; it was just horrible.“
But instead of picking up a cigarette, Webb vowed never to smoke again.
“You have to be motivated to want to quit,“ Webb said. “I’ll never smoke again because I never want to stop again.“
Tips for success: Bupropion works best if it is started a week or two before you quit smoking. It should not be taken if you have ever had seizures, heavy alcohol use, a serious head injury, bipolar disorder or an eating disorder.
Chantix (Varenicline)
Instead of buying cigarettes, Ron Hall spends about $122-a-month on Chantix, the first drug designed for smoking cessation. The drug stimulates the same receptors in the brain as nicotine does, Brandon says.
Hall, 47, of Lakeland, smoked for 17 years before he quit in 1991 because of his daughter’s health.
He fell off the wagon in 2007. “My friends smoked, and they’d offer me cigarettes,“ he says.
Since taking Chantix, Hall, a safety coordinator for Sweetbay Supermarket, has been smoke-free for two weeks. And his chance of success is in the 30 percent to 35 percent range.
Hall says his biggest problem with Chantix is the side effects, specifically what he calls “vivid dreams” that keep him up most of the night.
“It’s a temporary fix for something good,“ says Hall, who suffered a heart attack at 47 and battled melanoma. “I’ve had a lot of health issues; it’s been pretty rough. But I don’t want to end up dead like my dad at 53 of a massive heart attack.“
Tips for success: Research has not been done to determine whether Varenicline is safe to use along with nicotine replacement therapy products. The company that makes Varenicline notes that people who used the drug along with other therapies experienced more side effects such as nausea and headaches. Talk to your doctor before doubling up.
Alternative Methods
Hypnosis/acupuncture – These techniques may help some smokers to quit and have few, if any, side-effects. But there is no conclusive evidence that either is more effective than quitting cold turkey. In acupuncture, needles are placed at specific spots to treat nicotine addiction; hypnosis puts people in an altered state of mind so they become more susceptible to a suggestion to shun cigarettes.
Smokers should beware of claims of high success rates, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,“ Brandon says. Prices for acupuncture or hypnosis can range from $50 to $125 per session.
Laser Therapy – The laser is applied to certain pressure points on the body to produce endorphins that mimic the effects of nicotine on the brain and, in turn, reduce cravings for nicotine. Sessions can run several hundred dollars.
Tips for success: The power of suggestion may be all you need to quit, but there is little scientific evidence that these methods will have a lasting effect, Brandon says.
Source: Insidenova
