| Smoking retains it's popularity in the United States | | | | use but offers it up as a stop smoking aid in an |
| despite all the Surgeon General's warnings and | | | | "off-label" manner. In other words, they may take |
| tobacco company lawsuits. Roughly a quarter of all | | | | some benign medication used to dry up secretions, and |
| Americans are still smoking. In many parts of the | | | | market it as a stop smoking shot. So it is no longer |
| United States, smoking is as part of the mainstream | | | | being used for the purpose stated on its label, but |
| culture as baseball and apple pie. Why does this | | | | rather is now being used off-label. The consumer then |
| past-time enjoy such esteem in today's day and age? | | | | receives this medication thinking they are getting some |
| That is a great question and one that has a pretty | | | | new smoking cure. This idea is so powerful, it creates |
| good, if not complicated answer. | | | | a very real placebo effect in their mind. The success |
| Currently, there are many stop smoking aids, methods | | | | rates for off-label or placebo medications is thought to |
| or products on the market. Everything from electric | | | | be about equal to that of quitting cold turkey, as you |
| cigarettes to lasers. But when you get past the hype | | | | would expect. However, there are no clinical studies |
| and look at the science of smoking cessation, you are | | | | that evaluate these medications for smoking cessation |
| left with a very stark reality, low success rates. Let's | | | | in which derive accurate data. Therefore, the |
| look at what's called the front line methods for | | | | consumer is at the mercy of the advertising |
| smoking cessation. | | | | departments. |
| The first category can be called non-pharmacologic | | | | The final category is labeled alternative methods. This |
| means. This includes quitting cold turkey, behavior | | | | sort of catch-all group is where you find hypnosis, |
| modification, and support groups/counseling. Quitting | | | | acupuncture, lasers and herbal or natural remedies. |
| cold turkey, although the preferred method of quitting | | | | These methods might have a basis in non-traditional |
| by most smokers, offers the lowest success rate at | | | | science and certainly have helped people to stop |
| 3%. Group counseling and behavior modification has | | | | smoking. But there is sometimes no rhyme or reason |
| the highest success rate, right around 20%. | | | | as to whether it will or will not work; which, I suppose, |
| The second category would then be pharmacological | | | | doesn't make them much different than any other |
| interventions. Here is where you see nicotine | | | | method. Like placebo meds, there are no studied |
| replacement therapy, like nicotine gum, the patch, the | | | | success rates with these methods and there are no |
| nasal spray, etc. You'll also find Zyban and Chantix in | | | | clinical studies to quote statistics from. There is a |
| this category. The success rate found with nicotine | | | | segment of the population that will find success by |
| replacement is about equal to what is found with | | | | using one of these methods, but most experts would |
| Zyban. This rate is basically double that of quitting cold | | | | agree it's similar to or less than that of quitting cold |
| turkey. Chantix on the other hand, boasts a success | | | | turkey. |
| rate above 20%. However, Chantix has been required | | | | After looking at these success rates, it becomes easy |
| by the FDA to place a warning label on each box | | | | to see why smoking is still so prevalent in our society. |
| dispensed. The label basically warns the consumer that | | | | Many believe the success rates remain low because |
| some who take Chantix, have experienced erratic and | | | | people are unwilling to make the necessary behavioral |
| bazaar behavior. Many who want to quit smoking may | | | | changes and/or are not really serious about quitting. |
| not be willing to take that chance, in spite of the | | | | Many are fed misinformation when they search for |
| potential upside in success. The last member of this | | | | "easy ways to stop smoking" on the Internet. Too |
| group is the placebo medication. This group wouldn't be | | | | often people buy into a product or method because it |
| classified as a front line method, but it is a | | | | offers them a "magic bullet" to stop smoking. However, |
| pharmacological intervention. This is where someone | | | | they are not emotionally or mentally prepared for the |
| takes a legitimate medication with a very real medical | | | | grind that is about to take place in their brain. |