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.
Injection
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