Smoking Cessation

Smoking is a habit that costs the lives of more than 5 million men and women each year, making it one of the highest preventable causes of death in the world. Cigarettes contain tobacco, a substance linked directly to over 25 different diseases and health problems including lung cancer, emphysema and heart disease. However, the possibilities of long-term illnesses can be reduced when stop smoking aids are used so that people can lead a much healthier, longer life. You are strongly advised to quit smoking before it’s too late to prevent these serious illnesses from damage your health.

For men in their 30s and 40s, smoking has been proven to increase the risk of erectile dysfunction by 50 per cent. In fact, the British Medical Association has stated that up to 120,000 men suffer from erectile dysfunction as a result of long-term smoking. There are many health-related reasons to give up the habit, as smoking affects the people around you too. Passive smoking can cause serious illnesses purely because the individual is inhaling second hand smoke. Babies born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy are twice as likely to be born prematurely and with a low birth weight.

Nicotine, a harmful ingredient contained in cigarettes, is a highly addictive substance that makes smoking a difficult feat to overcome. According to studies by Henningfield and Benowitz, nicotine is more addictive than caffeine but of a lesser potential for somatic dependency than ethanol, cocaine and heroin. A study by Perrine concludes nicotine's potential for psychological dependency exceeds all other studied drugs even ethanol, an extremely physically addictive substance with a severe withdrawal that can be fatal. Many smokers use nicotine compulsively.

Giving Up

It can be difficult to quit smoking due to the many withdrawal symptoms. These include insomnia, irritability, anxiety, decreased heart rate, weight gain, and general nicotine cravings. The relapse rate for quitters is high: about 60% relapse in 3 months. Also, nicotine users sometimes don’t want to quit smoking because they do not see the short-term damage caused by this harmful habit.

Fortunately, there are a number of methods for quitting smoking. These include:

Cold Turkey

This process involves quitting without the help of any external smoking cessation aids. Using only will power alone, you decide on a date to stop smoking and attempt to stick to it to the best of your ability, despite any cravings that may occur during this period. Although a lot of people have proved that it can work, not everyone can cope with the loss of nicotine in the blood.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

This process can be done by using patches and chewing gum, which contain small doses of nicotine. Your body still receives its nicotine fix, although because it is delivered in lower amounts, your can slowly adjust to the loss of this substance without any sudden change, as with cold turkey.

Zyban

This is a prescription treatment that has been available to smokers in the UK for over 10 years. This pill was originally intended for those who suffered from depression, although tests showed that patients who took the treatment and smoked eventually reduced their daily intake of nicotine.

Champix

Champix this is a new drug approved in the UK and is manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer. The drug works differently to Zyban and is much more effective for those who wish to quit smoking for good.