SMOKING-CESSATION DRUGS
Smoking-cessation Drugs are
medicines that help people stop smoking cigarettes or using other
forms of tobacco.
Purpose
People who smoke cigarettes or use other forms of tobacco often
have a difficult time when they try to stop. This is partly because
they get in the habit of using tobacco at certain times of day or
while they are doing certain things, such as having a cup of coffee
or reading the newspaper. But the habit is also hard to break
because tobacco contains Nicotine, a drug that some people find as
addictive as Cocaine or Heroin. A person who is addicted to Nicotine
has withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability, anxiety, difficulty
concentrating and craving for tobacco, when he or she stops using
tobacco.
Some people can stop smoking through willpower alone, but most do
better if they have support from friends, family, a physician or
pharmacist or a formal stop-smoking program. Heavy tobacco users may
find that Smoking-Cessation products also help by easing their
withdrawal symptoms. Most Smoking-Cessation products contain
nicotine, but the Nicotine is delivered in small, steady doses
spread out over many hours. In contrast, when a person inhales a
cigarette, Nicotine enters the lungs and then travels to the brain
within seconds, delivering the "rush" that smokers come to
crave. Another difference is that Smoking-Cessation products do not
contain the tar and carbon monoxide that make cigarettes so harmful
to people's health.
Description
Smoking Cessation Drugs that contain Nicotine are also called
Nicotine Substitution products or Nicotine Replacement therapy.
These come in four forms-chewing gum, skin patch, nasal spray, and
inhaler. Some products are available only with a prescription, but
others can be bought over the counter (without a prescription).
People who buy the non-prescription products should check with a
physician before starting to use them. Some commonly used brands of
Smoking Cessation products are Nicoderm, Nicotrol, Habitrol,
ProStep, and Nicorette.
Another type of Smoking Cessation drug, Bupropion (Zyban) also
reduces craving and withdrawal symptoms, but it contains no
Nicotine. The remainder of this entry deals only with smoking
cessation drugs that contain Nicotine.
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