A Guide to Smoking-Cessation Options | WPN World People News

People who want to quit smoking cigarettes no longer have to suffer through cold-turkey withdrawal.

A number of options now exist, and though most have some side effects, experts generally believe that the benefits of quitting smoking far exceed the risks posed by side effects. Current options include:

Nicotine replacement therapy

A variety of nicotine replacement products have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They include the nicotine patch, gum, inhaler, lozenges and nasal spray.

Patches, gum and lozenges do not require a prescription. A doctor's prescription is necessary for nasal spray or the inhaler, according to the American Cancer Society.

Medications

Two medications can help smokers quit. One is bupropion (marketed as an antidepressant under the brand name Wellbutrin and as a quit-smoking aid under the brand name Zyban); the other is varenicline (Chantix). Bupropion can be used in combination with nicotine replacement therapy, but that varenicline generally should not be, though there are rare exceptions to that rule. Both varenicline and bupropion are effective.

"Chantix has warnings for rare psychiatric side effects, but it's a very effective and wonderful drug that helps a lot of people quit smoking," said expert.

Alternative treatments

Alternative treatments also are available to help people quit smoking, including hypnosis and acupuncture. There haven't been large trials on hypnosis or acupuncture so they're not included in national guidelines. But, if the only downside to a treatment is the cost or the time involved.

Social support

The importance of social support has been minimized, but there are a lot of resources out there, like state quit lines. It's a very important component of quitting.

Consider, for instance, 1-800-QuitNow, which connects you to your state quit line and guarantees five phone calls from a counselor to help you quit. People who called this number and took nicotine replacement therapy doubled their chances of successfully quitting smoking.

Electronic cigarettes

Although smoking cessation experts have yet to give e-cigarettes the green light, many consumers are already using them to become smoke-free. The devices use heat to turn nicotine and other chemicals into a vapor that's inhaled, much like smoking a cigarette. Most even look like a tobacco cigarette.

The bottom line?

Experts emphasized that people shouldn't be discouraged if their first quit attempt isn't successful. For most people, it takes more than one try.

Set a quit date, and realize that failure is part of the process. Some people take up to 10 times to quit. Dieters know that when they're losing weight, it will take time. One day you may have a piece of apple pie, but the next day you start again. Relapses happen; be easy on yourself.

Remember, no matter what your age, you'll benefit from quitting.

Source: HealthDay News