Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 500,000 Americans die of cigarettes and secondhand smoking every year.
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Cigarettes contain hundreds of harmful and addictive chemicals. The most addictive is nicotine. When you take a puff, it goes to your lungs and the bloodstream, binding to receptors in your brain’s reward center. Your brain releases pleasure hormones in response to nicotine stimulation.
Over time, it forms an unbreakable association between nicotine and pleasure. As a result, over 60% of smokers want to quit, but tobacco addiction prevents them from enjoying healthier lives. But this time, you will learn about innovative and game-changing ways to quit smoking once and for all.
Nicotine-Free Smoking Cessation Medications
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Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) remains the most commonly prescribed smoking treatment.
In essence, it involves nicotine medications that replace cigarettes. These pills and gums make your body adapt to lower and lower nicotine levels over time until it no longer needs the drug to function correctly.
Scientists scratch their heads to improve existing smoking cessation therapies as well. Recently, The Food and Drug Administration registered nicotine-free smoking cessation medications — Chantix and Zyban.
These two make smoking less pleasant by displacing nicotine in the brain receptors. As a result, your receptors have no room to attach the drug, which means it can’t work in your body. Given that, smoking cigarettes feels less rewarding. You should be aware of Chantix side effects:
- Mood swings.
- Depression.
- Suicidal thoughts.
- Nightmares and unusual dreams.
- Trouble sleeping.
- Constipation.
- Nausea and vomiting.
As for Zyban, it involves dry mouth and nausea as side effects most often. However, the FDA concludes that the benefits of Chantix and Zyban overweight their risks.
Electronic Cigarettes
Studies show that nicotine e-cigarettes help more people quit smoking. E-cigarettes contribute to additional six quitters per 100. Most importantly, they work better than regular NRT and result in three more quitters per 100.
These findings indicate that e-cigarettes offer a softer cessation approach. You can preserve the smoking habit and switch to a healthier alternative at the same time. Consequently, e-cigarettes provide a smoother transition from addiction to complete abstinence. However, some studies show that e-cigarettes can be detrimental to your dental health. Thus, according to this professional dentist in Fairfield NJ, it’s best to consult a professional first.
CBD Products
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating chemical found in the hemp plant. CBD doesn’t make you high but delivers the following health benefits:
- Reduced pain, inflammation, and anxiety.
- Antioxidative effects.
- Improved sleep
- Seizure relief.
Recent studies conclude that CBD can become a revolutionary smoking cessation treatment. It works in the following ways:
CBD Makes Cigarettes Less Rewarding
The randomized, double-blind study revealed that cannabidiol administered after overnight tobacco abstinence reduced the pleasure of smoking triggers.
Simply put, the participants showed less interest in cigarettes once they saw other people puffing. In the end, they smoked 40% less often than the placebo group. Note that you have to consult your smoking doctor before taking smoking cessation supplements.
CBD Reduces Nicotine Withdrawal Side Effects
CBD is a potent anxiolytic — it calms the nervous system and helps with different anxiety disorders. It also alleviates anxiety-induced sleep deprivation.
These CBD properties come in handy for tobacco withdrawal symptoms. A study on rats shows that CBD prevents nicotine-dependent rats from developing withdrawal symptoms — headaches, anxiety, irritation, and having trouble sleeping.
There are plenty of CBD products, but CBD cigarettes deliver measurable results faster. They allow quitters to preserve their smoking habits until their bodies adapt to a nicotine-free life.
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Since the CBD market remains in a gray zone, you need to research CBD brands to choose the best one. For this, you can check CBD cigarettes review platforms, learn about customer feedback, and compare the prices.
Support Therapy for Smoking Addiction
Only 3-5% of people quit smoking without professional help. On the contrary, professional, family, and community support helps nicotine-dependent people fight the addiction much more successfully — it increases smoking cessation rates by ten times.
A motivational environment and community support help quitters stick to their goals as well. Studies find that such behavioral intervention makes 10% more people quit smoking.
What Are Other Ways to Quit Smoking?
There are alternative means to quit smoking, like meditations and text message applications. But how efficient are they? Check this out below.
Meditations
Some believe that a quit smoking meditation helps a quitter increase self-control. After all, most people meditate to relax and maintain inner peace. However, current research shows that mindfulness meditations don’t provide statistically significant results regarding smoking cessation.
Quit Smoking Text Message Applications
Some nicotine-dependent people use quit smoking message applications for self-control. Daily messages keep them motivated. These apps don’t deliver life-changing results, but they help quitters smoke 1-3 fewer cigarettes per day.
Final Thoughts
Drugs that reduce smoking pleasure, like CBD and Chantix, show game-changing results as they fight the primary biochemical addiction triggers. Stop smoking text messages can help a little too.
In practice, the more efficient therapies you apply, the better. Therefore, smoking cessation medications followed by professional, family, and social support will deliver the best results for you.