Quit Smoking Permanently
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- 1 -
Quit Smoking Permanently
http://www.simplejoshua.blogspot.com
- 2 -TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 3
ARE YOU READY TO QUIT SMOKING? ....................................... 8
WHY YOU SHOULD QUIT RIGHT NOW ..................................... 14
THE HABIT.............................................................................. 18
STOP SMOKING AIDS.............................................................. 19
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE PATCH ............................................... 21
CHANTIX WARNING................................................................ 28
NICOTINE GUM: DOES IT REALLY WORK?............................... 29
OTHER STOP SMOKING AIDS .................................................. 35
TIPS TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL ............................... 38
CONCLUSION .......................................................................... 41
FINAL WORDS ........................................................................ 43
Quit Smoking Permanently
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- 3 -Introduction
In the last twenty or so years, smoking has lost the
popularity that it once held for many people in nearly every
demographic in the world.
Before this time, it seemed as though everyone would light
up just about anywhere. You would go into a hospital
emergency room and see the doctors and nurses having a
cigarette in the lobby with injured and sick patients who were
smoking cigarettes as well.
Some facts worth noting:
1. Smoking is the #1 cause of death in America responsible
over 400,000 deaths per year.
2. If you combine poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity,
it will be about 400,000 deaths per year.
Up until very recently, people have had to rely on a variety of
nicotine replacement therapies, which have been prescribed
by their doctor or sold over the counter. These include:
3. Nicotine gum
4. The Nicotine Patch
5. Lozenge
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- 4 -6. Nasal Spray or inhaler
7. Anti depressant pills like Wellbutrin which was rebranded
and Zyban
The first question you were asked when entering a restaurant
was “smoking or no smoking?”
Stars smoked on the big screen and on television. There
were commercials for every brand of cigarette on the
market. It was commonplace to see even young children
lighting up with out a thought given to it.
Mothers would have a baby breastfeeding while smoking a
cigarette. Smoking was popular and the new rage and
everyone was doing it.
Targ et ing c hildr en & young adults, the t ob acc o
comp anies would almost guarant ee a long t erm
cust omer that would b ring them in a lot of money.
Also in the past, many of the advertising campaigns for
cigarettes, those who smoked were deemed as heroes. The
Marlboro Man was glamorized in those days as a man who
enjoyed a quality smoke after a hard day on the range.
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- 5 -In more recent times, Joe Camel has become the icon for
Camel cigarettes and has a very smooth and cool persona
that is aimed at attracting younger more “hip” smokers.
This type of marketing has gone along way to keep people
interested in smoking and many start smoking before they
are even old enough to vote. It is much harder to break a
habit that starts when the person is young.
Young people have less control over the pleasure sensors
that are triggered by nicotine and addiction can be brought
on much more swiftly in younger person than in a more
mature smoker.
By targeting children or young adults, the tobacco companies
would almost always guarantee a long term customer that
would bring them in a lot of money.
These types of advertising are highly immoral and in more
current times have been cut back because of the amount of
under age children who were beginning to smoke. This
became such an epidemic that cigarettes took over
marijuana as the main gateway drug.
Percentage wise, more children who start smoking at young
age also will try alcohol and drugs shortly thereafter. By
targeting young people for tobacco, the chances of those
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- 6 -young people moving to other drugs and substances greatly
increases the earlier they start smoking.
In the past thirty years, those who smoked so diligently,
starting getting many different forms of cancer and also
started dying. It seemed as though those who were smokers
were the ones who were most likely to die from cancer.
More and more studies were conducted on the effects of
tobacco on the body and the damages that cigarette smoking
was doing to millions of people all over the world.
Suddenly, smoking was not as “cool” as it once was.
Smoking has now become increasing less popular and
smoking is not allowed in many countries in public places.
More and more people are looking for ways to kick the habit
and become non-smokers.
St ud ies showed t hat not only was smoking bad
for the smoker s, b ut second hand smoke c an hurt
those who were not smoking as well.
By simply living with a smoker and living with smoke in the
home could cause permanent damage and those non
smokers would have a higher risk of being a victim of cancer.
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- 7 -Smoking was shown as the number source of cancer for
smokers and non smokers alike. It was shown that smoking
is not healthy and could actually kill those that smoke.
Shortly after this, the stop smoking campaigns began and
smoking was looked on as dangerous and not a habit to
picked up by anyone. Across the world, more and more
places have placed bans on smoking in city buildings.
Then cities and states started placing bans on where smoking
would be allowed.
Any public place where people congregated were designated
as non smoking and smokers were pushed to the fringe of
society for the safety of the non smokers.
Nicotine was shown to be one of the most addictive drugs
known to man and this made it harder for those who really
wanted to quit to be successful at it.
Before you knew it, there were many products on the market
that would enable people to be able to give up the cigarettes
through nicotine replacement.
Just like a heroin addict needs methadone to get through the
withdrawals, many smokers needed a replacement for the
nicotine in order to be successful at dropping the habit.
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- 8 -Are You Ready to Quit Smoking?
If you are a smoker and you are thinking about quitting, you
should make sure you are really ready to stop or else you are
setting yourself up to fail. Only ten percent of those who
attempt to quit smoking succeed no matter how many times
they have tried to break the habit.
This is only one reason why being committed to quitting is
vital. When you make the commitment, you will give
yourself a better chance at success.
If you do not feel you are quite ready yet, then you should
consider why quitting would be a good choice. Perhaps then
you will understand why you should quit and that may give
you motivation to move forward.
Unlike in previous years, people who want to smoke have a
wide variety of methods to choose from. Each method has its
own pros and cons.
To be successful, it will take a combination of one or more of
these stop-smoking aids and good old fashion will power.
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- 9 -You should also consider your family. If you’r e
the only smoker, simp ly think about how smoking
makes them feel.
If you are exposing them to second hand smoke, then you
are taking a chance with their life. It is one thing to risk your
life, but it is not healthy for the rest of your family either.
Even if you do not smoke in front of them or expose them to
second hand smoke, then consider the financial strain you
have them under.
There are many other places that money you spend on
cigarettes could be spent. It could be saved for college
educations or family vacations. In addition, you are actually
putting your family at risk of developing breast cancer.
In a r ecent report released by the Ont ar io
Tobacc o Resear ch Unit , there is a d irect
corr elation between smoking and b reast c ancer .
This applies to what happens to the people who are actively
smoking and for those in the general vicinity of the smoke.
The report warned that women under the age of 50 had gene
mutations of breast cancer 1 and breast cancer 2.
Quit Smoking Permanently
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- 10 -It went on to state that second hand smoke doubled a
persons chance of developing breast cancer by age 50. One
thing to realize is that this isn’t confined to women; men get
breast cancer as well.
You should also consider the financial strain that would occur
if you were to have physical problems that arise out of your
smoking. If you were to get cancer, how would your family
be able to pay all the extra medical bills that will not be
covered by your insurance?
If you are a bread winner, how would family live without your
income? These are issues that concern you; you should
seriously get prepared to quit smoking.
If your health is at risk or you simply ar e t ir ed of
being a smoker , then you should d ef initely take
the st eps t hat will enable you to stop smoking.
You should try to come up with a plan that will enable you to
stop smoking. If you feel you have the will power to stop
cold turkey, then you should set a date where you will not
purchase or smoke another cigarette again.
If you do not feel you can stop on your own, then you should
decide what aids you will use that will enable to you stop
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- 11 -smoking more easily. You should consult your physician who
will be able to help you stop smoking in a healthy manner. A
physician may also be able to help you get set up on some
prescription stop smoking aids that will offer more security
and help to kick the habit.
Once you have made the commitment, the most important
aspect to remember is to stick to your plan. Stay away from
situations where you would normally be enticed to smoke.
By removing yourself from these types of situations, you will
be more apt to not want to pick up that cigarette. People
have specific times when the smoking addiction is more
pervasive. These include:
8. Right after you finish eating
9. After have sexual relations
10. When drinking alcoholic beverages
11. When a person is stressed
If you find that you smoke much more when you are
drinking, then you should cut back on your alcohol intake
when you are trying to quit. These are just a few tips that
will get you on your way as a non-smoker when you have
made the decision to quit smoking. Many people only
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- 12 -smoke when they drink. By cutting out the drinks while
trying to quit, there will be no drunken temptation.
Some people have to have a cigarette when they finish
eating. While it is impossible to not eat, try finding another
option to the after dinner cigarette.
You could take a walk as soon as you finish eating and this
habit will replace the habit of smoking a cigarette after a
meal. This will enable you to forget about the cigarettes
entirely and focus on something more positive and healthy in
your life.
Another time people have problems quitting smoking or
times when smoking becomes a habit is when people are
under stress. When you get stressed out and are a smoker,
your first instinct is to grab a cigarette for comfort.
While this may be offer temporary relief, it is not the
healthiest way to handle stress.
Find anot her way t o handle str ess or simply t ry to
st ay away f rom str essful sit uations.
If you have a particular friend who is always causing drama,
you should not spend as much time with them until you are
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- 13 -sure you can handle the stress without automatically
reaching for a cigarette.
No matter the reasons you need to have to quit smoking,
again, you must be serious about quitting. Taking the first
step of simply realizing you have an addiction and would like
to stop smoking can be the beginning of your journey.
Once you take the actual step of quitting, you will be on your
to becoming a non smoker.
Quit Smoking Permanently
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- 14 -Why You Should Quit Right Now
There are a plethora of reasons why you should quit
smoking. For most, the obvious reason is that smoking can
severely damage the lungs and will eventually kill most who
smoke. Some who smoke will contract emphysema.
Emphysema will cause your lungs to contract and you will
not be able to breathe well.
This lack of being able to breathe will mean that you will
need to have an oxygen tank in order to live. You will have
to have this oxygen tank with you at all times to be able to
give your body the oxygen it lacks due to your previous
smoking habits.
You will also need the oxygen to help your heart. Many
smokers understand the damage that smoking will cause to
the lungs, but they miss that smoking puts a large strain on
the heart.
When the blood is not getting enough oxygen, the heart
needs to pump faster in order to get the correct amount of
oxygen to the body.
Quit Smoking Permanently
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- 15 -By smoking, you ar e t aking away muc h needed
oxyg en fr om the body.
This is why the heart can be strained and why, for those who
have health problems due to smoking, may need to be on
oxygen for the rest of their lives. You will also have to quit
smoking when you go on oxygen, it just makes sense to quit
now before that need arises.
Here are some facts about what happens to your body when
you quit smoking:
12. 20 minutes after you stop smoking, your blood pressure
and heart rate will decrease.
13. 12 Hours after you quit smoking, the levels of carbon
dioxide in your blood will return to normal levels
14. 14 days after you quit smoking, you will experience an
increase in circulation and an improvement in lung
function
15. Between one and nine months after you quit, things like
shortness of breath, coughing and mucus build up will
decrease. The cilia in your lungs will return to normal and
go back to cleaning out your lungs and moving out the
mucus
Quit Smoking Permanently
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- 16 -16. At 12 months out, your risk of coronary heart disease will
be cut in half
17. 5 years after you stop smoking, your chances of having a
stroke will be reduced to the same level as a non-smoker
The damage that is done to your lungs can repair themselves
over time if you quit smoking. It can take many years for
your lungs to clean out all the toxins that you have been
putting into them for so many years of smoking. You will be
surprised at just how well you will begin to feel after just a
few months of dropping the habit.
Not only do your lungs become damaged from smoking, but
your throat and mouth can also suffer the consequences as
well. Many have had to have their voice boxes removed due
to throat cancer.
The same can be said about the mouth as well, many
smokers have had partial or full jaw removal due to mouth
cancer that has been caused by smoking. When you damage
your lungs, the effects are internal and not seen by any
without an x-ray.
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- 17 -For throat and mouth issues, you will have huge
sc ar s and t hat p lastic sur gery may not b e able to
cover up.
This is not only damaging to your body, but also to you
appearance. You will have to live with these scars for the
rest of your life. Having half a face may not seem like it will
happen to you, but it can.
In many instances, you will lose more than just part of your
face, mouth or throat; you can die from these types of
cancer as well. If it is not caught in time, you can lose your
life as well.
It the health scares are not enough to encourage you to stop
smoking, perhaps then the aesthetics of smoking will.
Smoking causes the mouth to grow wrinkles much quicker.
This is because of the constant puckering of lips when you
drag on a cigarette. You can always tell when a person is a
smoker, they smell of stale smoke, it is in the hair, on the
clothes and sometimes it can even be noticed as a smell on
the skin. Standing next to a person who smokes can be an
unpleasant experience for the non smoker.
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- 18 -Finally, the cost of smoking is getting higher and higher each
year. Many states are continually raising the taxes on what
are considered luxuries. You will be hard pressed to find a
pack of cigarettes in the United States for less than five
dollars.
When you have a three pack a day habit, this can be a very
expensive addiction. Even for a smoker who only smokes a
pack every two days, this can add up to hundreds of dollars
in just a few months. Imagine the other necessities that can
be purchased with the money saved when you quit smoking.
The Habit
For some, q uit ting smoking is not j ust about the
ad dict ion.
Many have formed a habit of grabbing a cigarette as soon as
there is stress or complications in their life. Some simply
have the habit of needing a cigarette as soon as they have
finished a meal.
Whatever the reason, the habit can be as addicting as the
actual nicotine can be. Not only do you have to quit the
addiction, but you need to find ways to break the habit.
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- 19 -If you find that you are missing the hand to mouth action or
habit that you had when you were smoking, you may want to
try a replacement type therapy that will allow you to have
the same hand to mouth action without the aid of cigarettes.
Some people carry carrot sticks as a healthy way to have
the hand to mouth with out putting a cigarette in their
mouth. Others may carry sugar free candy with them to
take the place of the cigarettes. Whatever you need to use
in order to cut back on the habit will help you to give up the
cigarettes.
Stop Smoking Aids
For those who do not feel that they have the willpower to
stop smoking on their own, there are many products on the
market that will help those who wish to quit smoking stop.
The types vary from over the counter products to
prescription medication that is guaranteed to work. There
are more products to help those who wish to quit then there
are cigarette brands these days.
All you need to do is go to any type of store and you can find
a large amount of aids to help people quit smoking. Try
doing an internet search and you will be overwhelmed with
products that are simply for quitting smoking.
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- 20 -Once you have decided t o q uit smoking and you
wish t o use an aid to d o t his, then you should
resear ch the met hods availab le in order to get a
sense of what is out there and how they work.
Since there are so many brands, we will concentrate on
showing you simply the methods the employed and the good
and bad of each type of aid.
There is no point in breaking into brands as that is usually a
personal choice and can depend on the price range as well.
Some brands may be more expensive than others and yet
offer the same help for those who wish to quit smoking.
You can also find many books on the subject of quitting
smoking. You can go to your local library or book store to
find these books that will enable you to quit smoking.
If you are housebound, you can look at any of the online
book stores that will offer a wide variety of books dedicated
to the subject of stopping smoking. You will also be able to
find e-books such as this that will help you to stop smoking.
Many of these books are extremely effective in the area of
quitting smoking. Some people find that when they read
about subjects, it can be easier to quit.
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- 21 -The Truth About The Patch
This is probably one of the most popular of the stop smoking
aids on the market. They are convenient to use and offer the
user discretion and a one time daily application. Many come
in clear now and that makes them even more discreet.
Some brands of the patch come with a hefty price tag. If
you do some comparison shopping, you will be able to find a
patch that will work for you in the price range you are
looking for.
There are two different types of patches available on the
market today. The first type is the nicotine patch. This
patch uses a time release method to get the nicotine into the
system without using cigarette smoking to do this.
This way you can control the habit while still getting your
nicotine fix. When you first begin to quit smoking, you will
start off with a strong patch that has a good amount of
nicotine in it.
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- 22 -As you begin t o contr ol the habit and have lost
the need to have a cigaret te in your hand, you
will star t to decr ease the amount of nic ot ine in
the patch.
This is called a step program as you will gradually step down
to less and less nicotine until your body is no longer craving
as much each day. It is similar to a heroin addict using
methadone as a substitute for the heroin.
A down side to this method is that you are simply replacing
one form of nicotine with another.
While you are not getting all the other harmful chemicals,
you are still feeding the addiction. Some may not be able to
stop using the patch or gradually reduce the amount of the
nicotine in the patch because the addiction is not really being
addressed.
The nicot ine p at ch releases nicot ine t hr ough the
skin, and is a mor e standard ized method to quit
smoking.
The patch has been around since 1993 and costs around $20
to $30 a week. Some things to remember with the patch is
that you want to keep it out of reach of children and pets,
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- 23 -and if you’re pregnant, the patch is not advisable. Also, if
you’re breastfeeding or younger than 18 years old, you will
want to check with your doctor prior to using the patch.
The patch should be used on the upper arm, and you should
wash and dry your arm prior to application for the best
effect. Wash your hands after applying the patch, and when
you remove it, be sure to dispose of it properly. Sometimes,
the application site may become itchy or irritated; if this
happens find another spot to apply it.
If you have sensit ive skin, the p at ch may not b e
the best op tion for you.
If you experience a more severe reaction to the patch on
your skin, and it becomes painful, it may just be in the form
of an irritation rash. If you have sensitive skin, the patch
may not be the best option for you.
Other side effects can include headache, lightheadedness,
dizziness, upset stomach, flushing, drowsiness and moderate
nausea during the first couple of days as your body adjusts
to the medication. If the symptoms persist, you may want
check back with your doctor.
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- 24 -If, at any time, you develop chest pains, difficulty breathing,
a heartbeat that is irregular, tremors or anxiety, contact your
pharmacist or doctor immediately.
The nicotine patch is only to be used in the short-term, and
while it used to require a prescription, it can now be bought
over the counter. While it is a very good aid to quit smoking,
it’s not an end-all cure to quit smoking.
Herbal Patch
Another type of patch is an herbal patch. This patch uses
time released herbs that give the same stimulation that
nicotine does without using actual nicotine. T
his type of drug substitution is much safer as the chemicals
used are all natural herbs and there is no nicotine being
offered to the users of these patches. An addiction to these
patches will not occur, as they do not contain any addicting
substances.
For those who are serious about quitting smoking, but just
feel that they need to have a small bit of help, this would be
a good option. Of course, these patches may also cause skin
irritations so it is important that you use them in a discreet
area when you first try them.
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- 25 -This way you will not have visible rashes due to the patch
you are using.
Using pat ches can be a great way for you t o g et
rid of the smoking habit.
No matter which type of patch you choose, make sure you
use on an area of your body the will not show and that does
not have the more sensitive skin such as your buttocks.
Because they are time released, you will have more of a
chance at being successful because you will receive the
nicotine without having to think about having another
cigarette in order to get it.
This will allow you to do other things to break the habit of
putting a cigarette in your mouth.
The Pill
If you are not comfortable with the patch method, you can
also use the quit smoking pills that are on the market today.
Many of these types of pills are considered herbal substitutes
and work in the same way as the herbal patches do.
They offer an alternative to nicotine so that the body thinks it
is getting the nicotine when in fact it is getting an herbal
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- 26 -substitute. While your body is getting the nicotine substitute
that it craves, you can begin to work on the habits that also
keep you smoking.
One downsid e t o the her bal p ill met hod is that
sinc e the b ody is not g ett ing the actual nicotine,
these pills may not wor k f or ever yone.
There can be side effects associated with herbal pills, nothing
life threatening, but they can cause minor side affects such
as diarrhea. This is not a huge factor since smoking will do
much more damage than a loose stool.
But, another issue that is more serious is that the herbal pills
do not address the other withdrawal symptoms associated
with quitting smoking. These are serious concerns and may
be one reason why an herbal stop smoking pill may be
ineffective.
Another type of pill is one that is offered by prescription. You
will need to speak to your family physician in order to get
this type of pill. There are a few great ones on the market
today.
You will normally only need to take these pills for three to
four months to effectively quit smoking. Not only do they
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- 27 -address the nicotine addiction, but they also work to help
alleviate the issues that need to be dealt with when it comes
to the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting
smoking.
The downside to the prescription types of stop smoking pills
is that not all smokers who want to quit will have medical
insurance or access to a physician to prescribe them.
The pills themselves may not be covered by all insurance
providers so this can make for a very expensive way to quit
smoking. Some may even feel it is less expensive to simply
purchase a pack of cigarettes than it is to quit smoking this
way.
If you would like to use this method, you should contact your
health insurance provider and see if they will offer a co pay
on the medication to ease the burden of that cost.
Some may do this as a prevention method as the costs that
an insurance company would accrue if you contracted cancer
would be much higher.
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- 28 -Ther e is now evidence t hat Chantix can c ause
blac kouts, att empt ed suicide and suicide.
Chantix Warning
Chantix or Varenicline has been advertised as the easy
solution to quit smoking. It makes smoking an easier issue to
overcome, and was slated to become the next cessation pill
that allowed people to bypass the normal nicotine withdrawal
symptoms. Unfortunately, there is now evidence that Chantix
can cause blackouts, people attempting to commit suicide
and with others committing suicide.
There is a class action suit in progress for people who have
become victims of this latest cessation pill. Chantix is only
the second pill to deal with the problem of smoking and was
approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Chantix is
produced by Pfizer, Inc.
Here is what has been published recently:
According to a news article published in the current issue of
the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA),
evidence is mounting that supports the conclusion that use of
the smoking cessation drug varenicline (Chantix) is
associated with suicidal ideation and behavior in a substantial
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- 29 -number of treated patients. (see: Kuehn BM. Studies linking
smoking-cessation drug with suicide risk spark concern.
JAMA 2009;301(10):1007-1008).
While it is unfortunate that these possible serious, adverse
effects of Chantix were not detected until post-marketing
surveillance, the real shame in this story is that the anti-smoking movement played a role in this potential tragedy.
The movement played a role in two ways.
Nicotine Gum: Does It Really Work?
Another popular stop smoking aid is the nicotine gum. The
gum is a safe and effective way to get the nicotine into the
body to help stop the cravings associated with stopping
smoking.
This g um has b een on the mar ket longer t han any
of t he ot her stop smoking aids availab le.
The nicotine can take up to an hour to be absorbed into the
system and up to twenty pieces of gum can be chewed in a
day. For those that are a pack a day smokers, this will be
equal to smoking a pack as you would instead chew a piece
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- 30 -of gum instead of having the cigarette. Stop smoking gum
also helps with the oral fixation many smokers acquire.
For many, it is not just about the addiction, as stated
previously, but the habit as well. Quit smoking gum
addresses the habit of putting something in the mouth and
also gives the mouth something to do while the nicotine is
being absorbs by the body.
As with the patch, the gum is offered with different levels of
nicotine so that you can gradually decrease the level of
nicotine until your body does not crave it anymore.
Some of the more expensive gums offer guarantees to quit
smoking within ten days. This can be great for those who
want to quit smoking quickly.
There are some downsides to using the gum. Many can get
addicted to the gum itself and then will need to fight that
addiction. While nicotine gum is safer than smoking, it is still
using one form of nicotine to replace another form.
This is not always the best way to quit but it has been proven
to work for many.
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- 31 -Anot her d raw b ac k to the g um is t hat it can t aste
like c igarettes.
Even some of the flavored gum has a taste that has been
likened to licking an ashtray. This can put some people off of
using them gum regularly.
More and more, the taste is being improved upon so that this
will be a non issue in the future. For now, if you can get past
the taste, you will have a better chance at quitting smoking
by using a gum substitute than with trying quit smoking with
out using any aids at all.
You should make sure you do your research on what gums
will be the most effective when trying to quit smoking. Your
family physician can offer you advice on which brand would
work best for you.
Doctors work hard to keep up on the latest treatments
available and will be able to steer you in the right direction.
Try to stay away from cheap online stop smoking gum. This
gum may not really contain the additives needed to enable
you to stop smoking. You will simply be spending your
money on a placebo. This is why researching the product
before actually using is so vital.
Quit Smoking Permanently
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- 32 -It is hard enough to quit smoking, if you are using an aid to
do this; there is no sense in setting yourself up for failure by
choosing the wrong product. This can make you discouraged
and may cause you to simply start smoking again.
Hypnosis
Many who wish to quit smoking would prefer to use a more
natural method than replacing one form of nicotine with
another or replacing nicotine with herbs. One of the most
popular and effective methods to quit smoking is by using
hypnosis.
Hypnosis is a great natural method as works with the mind to
help kick the habit as well as the addiction. There are two
forms of hypnosis that can be used to help to quit smoking.
The first method is self hyp nosis and works b y
pr og ramming the mind to become a non smoker
inst ead of being an ex-smoker.
This works by training the mind to forget about the
cigarettes. You are essentially training your mind to become
a non smoker.
An ex-smoker will always feel the need for a cigarette and
has to have the self control to not smoke again. This is
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- 33 -especially true during those situations where not picking up a
cigarette would be difficult in other cases. By training your
mind to be a non smoker, you will be less inclined to have
the habit any more.
There are many ways to self hypnotize yourself. You can do
this by subliminal messages. You will listen to a tap or
compact disk while you are sleeping and this will program
your mind when it is resting to not smoke any more
cigarettes.
One of the most important things to remember is that your
motivation to quit smoking needs to be high. It can’t be half-hearted or all the listening to tapes and attempts at self-hypnosis will be in vain.
Sinc e your brain is also act ive while you are
asleep , it will get t hese st op smoking messag es,
too.
You can also use meditation. While you are meditating, you
will concentrate on not having a cigarette again. You need to
tell your brain while in the subconscious state that it does not
need nicotine. You can also use a mantra like “I am a non
smoker, I do not need to smoke another cigarette” in order
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- 34 -to program your mind to dismiss the need for smoking
entirely.
The other form of quitting smoking by hypnosis is by hiring a
certified hypno-therapist to do the actual hypnosis and to
supply your mind with the thoughts that smoking is bad for
you and that you do not need to smoke any more.
They can also aid you in getting the thoughts into your brain
that you are a non smoker and the need for nicotine is gone.
The school of thought on hypnotherapy is that you have to
be committed to not smoking before you begin your
sessions. If you are getting the thoughts supplied to your
brain but you are still continuing with the habit of picking up
a cigarette whenever your situations feels it is necessary,
then you will not benefit from this type of therapy.
Also, hiring a hypnotherapist can be expensive and not all
can afford this type of expense. When you look at the cost
of smoking over a year, however, it becomes less of a
burden.
Since the money will be expected at the time of the session,
it can drain the check book as you would be purchasing those
cigarettes over a longer time period.
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- 35 -Other Stop Smoking Aids
Besides the above mentioned stop smoking aids there are
many more that will help you to become a non smoker.
Smokeless Cigarettes
There are smokeless cigarettes that are used to replace the
typical cigarettes that you would normally smoke. You use
them in the same way that you would smoke a cigarette but
they do not contain any nicotine and simply cure the habit of
putting these types of cigarettes into your mouth to handle
the oral fixation.
Some smokeless c ig arett es do c ont ain nic ot ine,
and you will g radually dec rease t he amount of
nicotine that your body is t aking in unt il you feel
you no long er need to use the product.
One of the downsides to the smokeless cigarette is that they
do not taste very good unless you chose a more expensive
flavored smokeless cigarette and you are simply inhaling
nicotine just like you would if you smoked a cigarette.
This type of replacement does not really kill the habit or the
addiction; it simply replaces it with another similar method.
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- 36 -Nicotine Inhaler
Another type of quit smoking aid is the inhaler. This is similar
to the smokeless cigarette in that you puff on it when you
feel the need for a cigarette. These actually taste worse than
a smokeless cigarette in that they are not offered in other
flavors.
You will have to put up with the horrible taste that will make
many decide to simply smoke a cigarette instead.
Also, they are simply a replacement that may not help with
the over all addiction which is the problem with many of the
quit smoking aids. This method is relatively inexpensive and
works by using a liquid form of nicotine cartridge that is
inserted into the inhaler. When you inhale, you get a “hit” of
nicotine.
Herbal Cigarette
The final form of quit smoking aid is the herbal cigarette.
This is simply herbs that are smoked instead of cigarettes.
You can purchase them ready made or you can buy the
tobacco and roll your own. This method simply substitutes
another form of smoking that is healthier to your system.
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- 37 -You will have the same hand to mouth action that you enjoy
with a regular tobacco cigarette without the nicotine and bad
additives that are included in a typical cigarette.
Many feel that this type of substitution is a great way to quit
smoking as they are going cold turkey off of the cigarettes
completely and can gradually get rid of the habit in a more
healthy way.
Since these herbs are not addictive, once the habit and
addiction is taken care of, the herb smokes can be dropped
without having any of the anxiety associated with a nicotine
cigarette.
The downside to this method is that you will still feel
withdrawal symptoms from the nicotine, and you may still
feel the need to smoke a real cigarette. Also, you are still
putting smoke into your body, and there have not been
enough studies done on these natural herbs to know what
the long term effects of inhaling them can be.
The final point is that it can take substantially longer to
become a non-smoker since you are still, in effect, smoking
in another form. While this can pose a problem in the long
run, the natural herbs are less toxic than nicotine, and you
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- 38 -can gradually wean yourself off of them over time since they
don’t have the addictive effects of nicotine.
Tips to Help You Achieve Your Goal
When you decide to quit smoking, you will need to practice
some basic, common-sense methods in order to increase
your chances of success:
18. You will want to share your decision with everyone who is
close to you: husband, wife, children, parents, and
friends. You want to do this to elicit their support, and you
don’t want them to keep offering you cigarettes that will
tempt you to fall off the wagon. This is like any other
addiction; you stand a better chance if you don’t come in
contact with the object of your addiction.
19. When you are in the office, don’t go out and stand with
your smoking buddies. It’s the same thing if you want to
be more positive in that you don’t go hang out with folks
who are always negative. It rubs off, and standing in a
smoky space is just cheating and pulling you back down.
20. Find a quit smoking partner. It is always easier to do
things in pairs. You will both be experiencing the same
types of issues. This will give you someone to talk to and
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- 39 -when the going gets rough, you will have someone who
will be there to get you going again. Make sure it’s a
reciprocal relationship. You will wind up with a really good
friend, and stand a better chance of staying on track.
21. If you don’t want to go cold turkey, pick out something
that will aid you on your trek. This can include the patch,
gum, hypnosis and the like.
22. Throw out any old packs of cigarettes you are holding on
to “just in case”, and hide your lighter and matches. Even
if you use them to light the stove, you want to eliminate
visual cues that will cause you to go looking for cigarettes
in the middle of the night.
23. At parties, social gatherings and the like, you will want to
avoid the smokers. If you’re on the telephone, in a
crowded area or just standing next to a smoker, you will
want to move geographically away from that person. They
are walking, standing and smiling temptation, so you’ll
want to avoid it where possible.
24. If your willpower sags, and the craving gets really
obnoxious and persistent, take a walk, mop the floor or do
anything else that’s physical. If you’re an exercising type
person, this statement won’t be too hard – your brain
releases the feel good.
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- 40 -25. Carry gum, lollypops or hard candy with you, and when
you feel the urge to smoke, replace it with one of these. If
you’re into healthy food instead of sugar, eat carrots or
celery which is crunchy, good tasting and feels a little like
a cigarette.
Quit Smoking Permanently
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- 41 -Conclusion
Looking at the health issues that come with smoking, it is
easy to see why many people want to take this addiction out
of their lives. Many who quit smoking live to long ages
because their health has improved so much.
The families of smokers can also benefit from having their
loved ones around longer and will not feel the effects of
second hand smoke.
Considering the financial benefits for yourself and your family
can also come into play when deciding to quit smoking.
Financially, your family will do better if you are not spending
the family income on your addiction.
By quitting, you will free up money that can be used for
other family necessities that you could not afford as a
smoker.
In ord er to quit smoking, you must make the f inal
commit ment.
All the aids and tips and hints will do no good until you
simply make the choice to stop. As with any addiction, you
need to realize the fact that you have a problem first. Once
you get to that point you will be able to quit. Willpower is
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- 42 -also important once you have made the decision to quit.
When you give up smoking, having the will to not smoke
again will go further for you than any other method
available.
Once you have made this commitment, and you feel you can
not quit on your own, you should try one of the many
methods that are available to those who wish to quit
smoking.
If you feel that one method does not work, then you should
try another one until you find what works for you. By
combining one method with will power and the want to quit
smoking, you will give yourself a fighting chance at becoming
a non smoker.
More t han 2/3 of Amer ic ans who make up t heir
mind t o q uit smoking and g o cold turkey will not
be suc cessf ul.
It has been shown that trying to go it alone with no help will
only lead to failure. Only about 5% of people who actually
attempted the cold turkey route managed to stick with it
until they were clear.
Quit Smoking Permanently
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- 43 -What this means is that before you start out on willpower
alone, check in with your doctor to see what aids he can give
you to make your withdrawal easier.
As you now know, there are all kinds of things that will help
you to ease out of the grasp of nicotine addiction including
nasal sprays, patches, gum, inhalers, prescription drugs and
herbal alternatives.
Final Words
Tobacco is the one most preventable causes of death in the
United States today. Unfortunately, cigarette smoking is
responsible for about two-thirds of all cancer deaths per
year.
It increases a person’s chances of developing lung cancer
which is a silent killer that is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It is also linked to other types of cancers
including:
26. Esophagus
27. Larynx
28. Kidney,
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- 44 -29. Pancreas
30. Cervix
It is also responsible for increasing rates of chronic lung
disease, heart disease and stroke. Smoking during pregnancy
can also cause adverse effects on the mother’s unborn child
including low birth weight and premature delivery.
When you quit smoking, you will feel better, breathe easier
and live longer. You will decrease your risk for disease, and
your children won’t be exposed to second hand smoke that
will lead to long-term detrimental effects on their lives.
You will also have a lot of extra money to spend on other
things, and you won’t have to find designated “smoking
areas” everywhere you go.
Many people feel that they will gain weight when they stop
smoking, but studies show that it is generally less than 10
pounds. In order to keep weight gain out of the equation, all
you need to do is eat a healthy diet, exercise and keep
moving.
Don’t let the specter of weight loss deter you from your
ultimate goal – to live a smoke-free life.
Quit Smoking Permanently
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- 45 -The choice is up to you. Take the steps now to quit smoking
and get your life back on track.
You do not need to be a slave to the “cancer stick” if you
choose not to be!
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