For those who struggle mightily with quitting smoking, the belief that "some people just can't quit" resonates with their broken confidence in their ability to quit. Emotional beliefs and cognitions crop up around the physical realities of addiction such as: "I can learn to keep this under control," or "I need this to cope with stress" or "I just can't quit." The biology of addiction and withdrawal and the psychological dynamics of smoking addiction conspire to undermine the smokers' self-confidence, which is a central component of long-term quitting success (1). The addiction itself destroys smokers' confidence that they can quit, good therapy rebuilds it so they can restore themselves to a smoke-free life.
Recently, the destructive notion that "some people just can't quit" has opened up a way to market controversial products such as electronic cigarettes and smokeless tobacco to smokers desperate for a lifeline out of smoking. E-cigarettes are unregulated products (outside the scope of the FDA), with poor quality control and little unbiased research to guide consumers. E-cigarettes are essentially a new form of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). They are now competing with the available forms of NRT by presenting themselves as a new kind of cigarette, and without going through all the usual product safety and effectiveness testing required by the FDA. This means they do not have to adhere to any quality control standards, except those imposed by the rough and tumble of the marketplace. So buyer beware.
When marketers capitalize on the unhelpful belief that it's impossible to quit, it reinforces addicted smokers' own broken confidence. Let's redouble our efforts instead to make available proven and safe methods which can inspire confidence in all of us.
