cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Perspective on Nicotine

Dr_Hays
Mayo Clinic
7 31 493

There is a lot of misunderstanding about Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). What is NRT- It is a medication containing nicotine approved by the Food and Drug Administration and in the United States sold in the forms of patch, gum, lozenge, inhaler, and nasal spray.  A great deal of research, including research conducted here at Mayo Clinic, has found that people using these products are more likely to be successful in stopping smoking than people who don’t use these products. NRT helps to ease withdrawal symptoms by giving you a slow release of nicotine. Yes slow release--- Nicotine in a cigarette releases “feel good” chemicals in your brain in 7-10 seconds (no comparison to nicotine replacements). This makes the cigarette comparatively highly addictive.

Nicotine replacement medications provide a safe amount of nicotine that does not cause heart disease, cancer, strokes, or other serious conditions that are linked to tobacco. However, being that nicotine in a cigarette is the FASTEST delivery, it causes addiction, while delivering other harmful chemicals and carcinogens in the tobacco smoke.

People tend to take their own path while they quit and maybe NRT’s are something you plan to try. If so, be assured that it can be helpful and add to the likelihood of success.

Tags (2)
31 Comments
About the Author
An expert in tobacco use and dependence, Dr. Hays has authored and co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed scholarly articles and book chapters on various aspects tobacco dependence and its treatment. Since joining the Nicotine Dependence Center in 1992, he and its staff have treated more than 50,000 patients for tobacco dependence.