How to Quit Smoking

Quiting smoking is not easy and may need several attempts before success. Aside from increasing the risk for lung/throat/mouth cancers and asthma, smoking is also a risk factor for gum disease, heavy metal exposures and more frequent colds and infections.

This new study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry (November 2009), shows that a combination of the nicotine patch plus a nicotine lozenge seems to be most effective. The abstinence rate at 6 months is 40% for those on nicotine patch + lozenge vs. only 34% for those on nicotine patch alone; those who only took the drug Buproprion (aka Wellbutrin or Zyban) fared even worse at only 32% success rate.

Smoking abstinence rates at 1 week, 8 weeks, and 6 months, respectively, were as follows:

• Placebo: 23.3%, 30.2%, and 22.2%
• Bupropion alone: 34.5%, 40.2%, and 31.8%
• Nicotine lozenge alone: 29.2%, 40.4%, and 33.5%
• Nicotine patch alone: 40.5%, 44.7%, and 34.4%
• Bupropion plus lozenge: 37.4%, 50.4%, and 33.2%
• Nicotine patch plus lozenge: 43.4%, 53.6%, and 40.1%