Quit-smoking aids reach all-time high

• Quitting smoking is difficult, but support options have increased greatly.
• Nicotine replacement therapy can help reduce cravings during quitting.
• Common nicotine replacement products include gum, patches, lozenges, inhalers, and nasal sprays.
• Some medicines can reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
• Smartphone apps can support smokers by giving advice, reminders, encouragement, and progress tracking.
• Reduced-risk nicotine products are not risk-free, but they are much less harmful than cigarettes.
• The best quitting method is the one that works for the individual smoker.
• Every quit attempt can move a smoker closer to better health.

This article matters because many adult smokers need practical support to quit. It shows that quitting is not only about willpower. Different tools, medicines, apps, and lower-risk options can help smokers take steps toward better health.

This article is relevant to public health because smoking remains a major preventable cause of disease and death. Wider access to quitting support can help reduce smoking-related illness, improve quality of life, and lower the burden on health systems.

The article supports policies that improve access to smoking cessation support. It also highlights the need for balanced regulation and clear public information so adult smokers can understand available quitting aids and lower-risk alternatives.

This explainer is based on the provided article text and the original source link. The original article was written by Matthew Walker and published through Global Action Community Newsletters.

Quitting smoking has always been difficult. Smoking remains one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide.

In the 1960s, when scientists began to understand the long-term health risks of smoking, there were very few options available to help adults quit. Today, smokers have many more choices to support them on their quitting journey.

This means there has never been a better time for adult smokers to try to improve their health by quitting smoking.

Nicotine replacement therapy

Nicotine is the addictive part of cigarettes. Nicotine replacement therapies have helped millions of people quit smoking by giving the body small amounts of nicotine while the person moves away from cigarettes.

These products can help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms during the quitting process.

There are five main types of nicotine replacement therapy approved in many parts of the world:

• Nicotine gum.
• Nicotine patches.
• Nicotine lozenges.
• Nicotine inhalers.
• Nicotine nasal sprays.

Medicines to help people quit

There are also medicines that help people quit smoking by acting on nicotine receptors in the brain. These medicines can reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

The availability of these medicines may vary from country to country, but examples include:

• Varenicline.
• Bupropion.
• Cytisinicline.

Digital quitting tools

Beyond medicines and nicotine replacement therapies, digital tools have also expanded quitting support for adult smokers.

Several smartphone apps have been developed over the past decade. Some apps show how much money a person has saved by not buying cigarettes. Others work like quitting programs and provide advice, encouragement, and reminders.

More advanced apps can even respond to a person’s location. For example, they may offer support when the user is near a place or situation that could trigger the urge to smoke.

Reduced-risk nicotine products

More recently, reduced-risk nicotine products have also become available. These products contain nicotine and are not risk-free, but they are much less harmful than cigarettes.

Reduced-risk nicotine products are not official smoking cessation tools. However, some government authorities, including the US Food and Drug Administration, recognize that switching completely from cigarettes to some authorized reduced-risk products can significantly reduce long-term health risks.

Examples of these products include:

• Heated tobacco products: These electronically heat tobacco without burning it to create an inhalable aerosol that contains nicotine.
• E-cigarettes: These heat a liquid to produce an inhalable vapour that contains nicotine.
• Nicotine pouches: These are placed between the lips and gums, allowing nicotine to be absorbed without heating and without exposure to tobacco.

The best method is the one that works

The main goal of quitting smoking is to improve long-term health. Different people may need different types of support.

For some people, nicotine replacement therapy may work. Others may benefit from medicines, apps, counselling, or switching completely to a lower-risk nicotine product.

The best way to quit is the method that works for the individual smoker.

Wherever a person is on the path to quitting, every attempt matters. Each quit attempt can move a smoker closer to a healthier life.

Original source: Global Action Community Newsletters