Cold turkey may be the best way to kick the smoking habit for good. A new study by Harvard University's Center for Global Tobacco Control shows that while nicotine patches, gum, and inhalers help ease smokers' cravings early on, they can backfire in the long run.
Researches located nearly 800 smokers who had recently quit and followed them for five years, recording what cessation strategies they used. After two years, one third of the participants had relapsed; after four years, another third had.
Those who tried nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), either on their own or with the advice of a counselor, were just as likely to fail as those who quit without such help. What's more, heavy smokers who used NRTs unsupervised were actually twice as likely to relapse as those who went with pure willpower.
Though many short-term clinical trials have suggested that NRTs are effective, the newstudy shows that what happens in the real world is very different. This is interesting because smokers may think NRTs are a magic pill because they address nicotine addiction, but nicotine is only part of the reason people smoke. So what is the best way? In few words, without the proper personal commitment to quit, smokers are likely to relapse.
How To Entertain Guests The Week Before You Quit Smoking (not)
How To Quit Or Not To Quit Smoking
