Why is Quitting Smoking so Hard?



Despite most smokers being aware of the dangers smoking poses to the health of themselves and those around them, it doesn't provide a strong enough deterrent to kick the habit and give up for good. Statistics from the NHIS show that close to 50 million American adults are smokers

In the UK, a smoking ban has recently been enforced in all public places pushing the social acceptance of smoking further downwards. Methods of doubling and even tripling the success rate of those attempting to give up are now ready available, in the form of medicines such as varenicline (Chantix), upropion (Zyban) and nicotine patches and gum. So with all the warnings clear to see, and all the help required readily available, why is smoking cessation so hard for millions of people?

Nicotine

Most smokers would agree that the strongest reason for smoking is Nicotine and the effects gained from it. Nicotine is highly addictive (comparable to cocaine or heroin) and is naturally found in tobacco. It is this that provides smokers with enjoyable feelings when smoke is inhaled, stimulating nerve endings and also providing a calming effect.

After a period of time, a smoker will start to build up a dependency as well as a tolerance to the drug leading to an increase in the number of cigarettes needed to reach the same high.

Taking into account the power of Nicotine and its highly addictive properties, along with the physical and psychological dependency many have of it, it is no wonder that millions of American's unsuccessfully quit smoking using will-power alone.

Triple your chances with Chantix

Chantix is the latest smoking cessation drug offering smokers a three times higher success rate than will power alone. Chantix is a prescription medication designed to alter the way receptors in the brain respond to Nicotine inhalation, removing the majority of withdrawal symptoms from smokers trying to quit. Chantix also offers a distinct advantage over other alternatives such as Zyban, a smoking cessation drug originally designed as an anti-depressant from GlaxoSmithKline. If the intention to quit doesn't go exactly to plan, Chantix removes most of the enjoyment received from smoking a cigarette whilst on the medication, giving quitters an even stronger chance of giving up for good.

In a recent large trial published in JAMA magazine, they compared the success rate of 352 Chantix, 329 Zyban and a 344 placebo pill users. The results favourably support the use of Chantix as the most effective smoking cessation drug available today. 22% of Chantix users quit smoking all together after 1 year, compared to 16% of Zyban users and 8% of those on a placebo pill.

?Smoking cessation represents the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives? the US Surgeon General stated. There is no denying the difficulty faced by smokers in quitting the habit; however the number of health and financial benefits are also just as present. Thanks to the large amount of self-help materials, counselling and medicine available today, quitting smoking has never been any easier.