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Nicotine Treatment Can Help Addicted Smokers | |
| By DR. JOSEPH LOWY New York University Medical Center For AP Special Features One effective tactic that can help many smokers give up cigarettes is to treat smoking as an addiction to a potent drug - nicotine. Nicotine is not the only factor in breaking the habit. Many social and personal influences are involved in long-term smoking. But smokers who want to give up the habit encounter withdrawal symptoms that include irritability, anxiety, restlessness, difficulty concentrating and increased food intake, all caused by the new absence of nicotine. Only about a quarter of smokers who give up the habit do not experience such withdrawal symptoms, which are most intense in the first 24 hours and often can last for weeks. Nicotine is only one of some 4,000 constituents of cigarette smoke, but it is responsible for many of smoking's effects, including temporary euphoria, a decrease in appetite and alteration of the heart rate. There are five recognized stages that smokers who want to quit go through, starting with the first thoughts of giving up cigarettes and going through to maintenance of a cigarette-free existence. Behavioral programs are essential to reaching a smoke-free existence. Such programs are often available through the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society, medical centers and other groups. Clonidine, a drug used to treat high blood pressure, can help minimize the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Nicotine replacement is also common as part of an overall stop-smoking program. Nicotine gum became available without prescription in 1984, and quickly became a best seller. Nicotine skin patches have been available for some time. Some patches are made to be worn for 24 hours; others are taken off at night. There are a variety of patches that supply different doses of nicotine. One study found that 18 percent of smokers in self-help programs were still not smoking after six months. The success rate for those using nicotine gum was 33 percent. The success rate for behavioral programs was reported at 36 percent without nicotine gum, 57 percent with it. Eventually, many smokers who use the patch or gum can give up nicotine entirely. The best approach to that end combines a behavioral program and a nicotine substitute. --- Dr. Joseph Lowy is a Clinical Instructor in Medicine at New York University School of Medicine. Copyright 1996 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | |