The Different Kinds of Stop Smoking Aids

Smoking is one of the most difficult vices to quit. A lot of smokers can attest to the struggle they have to go through to avoid lighting up. Thanks to cigarette’s nicotine content, more and more smokers are getting addicted to cigarettes. Quitting is not easy, but it isn’t as impossible as most smokers think it is.

Understanding how smokers develop a dependency on cigarettes is an important step to start quitting smoking. Knowing what they’re addicted to and what it could do to their body will help strengthen a smoker’s resolve to finally quit smoking. Here are some helpful information on cigarettes and smoking:

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  Nicotine, the addictive substance in cigarettes and tobacco, is the tobacco plant’s natural pesticide. It wards off insects that plan to eat the tobacco leaves.



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  Smoking is the leading most preventable cause of death in the United States.



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  Nicotine works much like cocaine or heroine. It induces a calming feeling to its user. Once a nicotine tolerance level has been reached, the body starts craving for more. This brings smokers to puff more and more sticks of cigarette in a day.



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  Smokers find it difficult to quit smoking because of the withdrawal symptoms they experience. Withdrawal symptoms may include restlessness, anxiety, and uncontrollable shaking.



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  Smoking for an extended period of time exposes smokers to various medical conditions such as different kinds of cancer, lung problems, and cardiovascular disease. Not only do they put themselves at risk, but their loved ones are also in danger because of second hand smoke.

Nowadays, stop smoking aids are available in the market to help smokers ditch the smoking habit. Most stop smoking aids are nicotine-based and aimed at gradually lowering a smoker’s daily nicotine requirement until they can eventually get rid of cigarette smoking. Here are some of the most common stop smoking aids in the market today:

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  Medications. Prescription medicines like Zyban decrease nicotine cravings by binding itself to nicotine receptors in the brain. It acts as an effective smoking cessation aid as it minimizes the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting smoking.



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  Nicotine patch. This is a small, self-adhesive patch worn on the upper arm that slowly releases calculated doses of nicotine into the bloodstream every couple of minutes or hours. These patches are to be replaced every 24 hours.



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  Nicotine gum. This is one form of oral nicotine replacement product that aims to release controlled amounts of nicotine as the smoker chews on the nicotine gum. Nicotine gums are to be chewed on until its peppery flavor is released and then held between the gum and the cheek. This cycle is repeated for 30 minutes until all the nicotine in the gum is absorbed.



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  Nicotine nasal sprays. This stop smoking product is sprayed in the nostrils. It releases nicotine into the bloodstream faster than the other smoking cessation aids. The recommended dose is a spray in each nostril one to five times an hour.

Keep in mind that even with all the stop smoking aids in the world, a weak-willed smoker will not succeed in quitting smoking. With a strong will to kick the habit and a lot of encouragement from loved ones, smokers can be well on their way to living a smoke-free life.