Quit Smoking Tips - Does Nicotine Replacement Therapy Work? - Nurse's Guide

Does Nicotine Replacement Therapy Work? - Nurse's Guide - Stop Smoking Tips

If you plan to quit smoking you may have heard that the nicotine patch, nicotine gum or other nicotine replacement therapy doesn't work.  I'll try to dispel this and other myths in this article. You can stop smoking with or without it. But knowing the facts will help you decide which way to go.

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First of all, nicotine replacement therapy can work. For a smoker who wants to quit smoking it can almost double the chances that you will be able to stop smoking, without the help of "quit smoking pills", drugs or other aids.  If you are a smoker and have a nicotine addiction and use nicotine replacement therapy you will more than likely stay smoking-free for more than six months.  Now, that is IF you follow instructions, which some people do not do and expect it to work. The directions must be closely followed.

The nicotine in NRT products is not the same as the nicotine in cigarettes.  Because of this becoming addicted to nicotine nasal spray, nicotine patches, nicotine lozenges, nicotine gum or a nicotine inhaler is unlikely. The nicotine replacement therapy products follow the guidelines of the FDA and are strictly adhered to.  These products contain a lot less nicotine and it is delivered slowly. So there is less of a chance that you would become addicted to these products then cigarettes.

As for nicotine withdrawal symptoms, the products will lessen your withdrawal symptoms, but you may still have them. Some of the symptoms you should have less of however are hunger, cravings, anxiety, insomnia, irritability and anger. 

The risks or long term effects of the nicotine replacement products, whether it is the nasal sprays, patches, lozenges, gum or inhaler are not known.  There can be effects that will happen down the line but they are not known right now.  These products are probably a lot safer than cigarettes. Tobacco smoke has more than 3900 chemicals and many are known to cause cancer.  By using NRT products you are at least reducing the exposure to the hundreds of other chemicals you would be exposed to.

You can use these products by themselves or in combination but you would need to check with your doctor before you do any combining.

Also before you start on nicotine replacement, make sure to check with your doctor and see if there are any reasons why you should not use them based on your state of health and medical history.

The cost of these products varies, but the nasal spray is the least expensive, followed by nicotine patches, then nicotine lozenges, nicotine gum and then the more expensive nicotine inhaler.

If you can find a way to quit free or without using these products that would be the best approach so you don't expose yourself to more chemicals and drugs, But if you continue smoking and exposing yourself to the health risks and don't find it easy to quit without these products then that may be the best choice for you.

The best way to quit smoking is naturally. Using these nicotine replacement products is just one way to stop smoking.  But they should be used with a comprehensive quit smoking plan, not just by themselves. There are a lot of other ways you can stop smoking and these should be explored first. There is a lot of free help available for smoking cessation.   There are many natural ways to stop smoking.   Many have done it with NRT or naturally. You can do it too! Quit Smoking Now

copyright©2008 Helen Hecker All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy or reproduce this article in any way or in any form.