Nicotine Products to Help Quit Smoking

According to the National Cancer Institute, smoking can damage almost every organ in your body. It is also the leading cause of both cancer and deaths from cancer. Although there are no products currently on the market that can cause a person to quit smoking, there are many products on the market that can help. Quitting smoking takes effort on the part of the smoker. Nicotine cessation products are only there to help the smoker succeed.

Patch

• One of the most common products on the market to help someone quit smoking is the nicotine patch. The nicotine patch is a small piece of material that attaches directly to the skin. While worn, the patch releases regulated amounts of nicotine which are absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin. The presence of nicotine in the bloodstream from the patch helps reduce the cravings for another cigarette.

Oral

• Oral nicotine products to help quit smoking include nicotine gum and nicotine lozenges. Both products work by releasing small amounts of nicotine as the product dissolves in the mouth. The nicotine is then absorbed through the tissues of the mouth into the bloodstream. Like the nicotine patch, the presence of nicotine in the bloodstream helps reduce cigarette cravings.

Spray

• Nicotine products are also available in spray forms. These include the nicotine inhaler and nasal spray. The nicotine inhaler not only deposits nicotine into the smokers system, it also mimics the hand-to-mouth motion that a smoker would normally have while smoking a cigarette. This helps relieve both the physical need to smoke a cigarette, as well as relieves the psychological need to smoke by mimicking the actions of smoking without the tar and other chemicals associated with cigarettes. The nasal spray works by shooting nicotine into the nasal cavity. The nicotine is then absorbed through the nasal membrane into the blood stream.

Varenicline

• Beyond nicotine-based products, there are several popular pharmaceutical smoking cessation treatments. Varenicline, also known as Chantix, is a prescription medication that is designed to help smokers quit. When a cigarette is smoked, the nicotine from the cigarette travels through the bloodstream and reacts with nicotine receptors in the brain. This results in the satisfaction felt when smoking. Varenicline works by blocking the nicotine receptors in the brain so that the smoker gets no effect from smoking. Without the reward center of the brain being activated through the nicotine sensors, smokers have less desire to smoke another cigarette.

Bupropion

• Bupropion, also know as Zyban, is another medication designed to help smokers quit. Also used as an antidepressant, bupropion works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a powerful neurotransmitter that activates the rewards and pleasure systems of the brain. With the rewards center already being activated by bupropion, some smokers feel less of a need to smoke a cigarette to produce the same effects. This is since the effects of bupropion are similar to those felt when nicotine reacts with the nicotine receptors of the brain.