Medications and Myths - F.A.Q.'s

[Dr_Hurt]

Blog

“Why should I use the nicotine patch, inhaler, gum, lozenge, or spray?  Why merely substitute one form of nicotine for another?

Many people worry about trying the Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRT’s) because they feel that when they stop smoking, they should be stopping all nicotine. 

It’s important to know that nicotine is not the harmful substance in tobacco.  Nicotine is the addictive substance – but not the harmful substance.  When you inhale tobacco smoke you inhale thousands of chemicals including carbon monoxide, polonium 210, arsenic, benzo[a]pyrene, and nitrosamines specific to tobacco.  Over 60 of the chemicals found in tobacco smoke are known to cause cancer. 

When you take nicotine replacement medication to alleviate withdrawal and reduce craving for cigarettes, you are not taking in the chemicals that cause health problems. 

“So, what if I try to quit smoking by using the patch, and then I have a cigarette?” 

Smoking while on the patch probably means that you need more nicotine replacement.  You need to decide where you are going to get your nicotine, from the very harmful cigarette or the relatively safe replacement medication.  Your best bet is to set a stop date, and use the right amount of nicotine replacement so that you can effectively manage the desire to smoke.

“I am concerned about taking two or more nicotine replacement medications together.  The product inserts warn consumers not to.”

Yes, the product inserts in the United States do say that, but a number of studies have shown that people can use more than one nicotine replacement medication safely and using more than one will increase the likelihood for success in stopping smoking.  For example, we recommend using the nicotine patch as a base medication (because it delivers nicotine over a period of almost a day) to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and then add a shorter acting nicotine replacement like the nicotine inhaler or nicotine lozenge for trigger situations – like in the morning, with coffee, when driving, or for stressful times which can provoke urges to smoke.

“But how do I ever get off of the nicotine if I stop smoking – but then use NRT’s?”

Nicotine replacement products do not give you the high dose of nicotine that you get with the cigarette.  And, gently weaning off of the NRT over a period of 3-6 months will generally be much more comfortable than you might think.  For over time, as you use nicotine replacement rather than cigarettes, your nicotine receptors in your brain will become accustomed to the lower dose of nicotine, and begin to calm down – making it much easier to stop using nicotine replacement than it is to stop smoking.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

Yes the delivery system is the culprit not the poison.

We need niconated soft drinks.

i'm buying stock

[JonesCarpeDiem]

Sixty milligrams of nicotine, the amount in about five cigarettes or half a cigar, has the potential to kill an adult who is not a smoker^[1] if all of the nicotine were absorbed. This figure is ~120mg in chronic cigarette smokers, smoking an average of 20 non-light cigarettes delivering ~1.7mg of nicotine each daily. One cigarette's-worth of nicotine is enough to make a toddler severely ill. In some cases children have become poisoned by topical medicinal creams which contain nicotine.

[geminigypsylady]

In the agriculture industry nicotine is used to kill insects.  I'd say that makes it harmful....

[hwc]

"It’s important to know that nicotine is not the harmful substance in tobacco.  Nicotine is the addictive substance – but not the harmful substance. "

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This commercial message brought to you by the SmithGlaxoKline.

I don't know how Dr. Hurt can say that with a straight face. Nicotine is an FDA approved insecticide poison. It is more lethal, drop for drop, than rat posion or rattlesnake venom. Among other things, it contricts blood vessels, increases pulse rate, and blood pressure. It is most certainly "harmful" to humans. Is it as harmful as the carbon monoxide from smoking cigarettes? Probably not. Still, it's just a bold-faced lie to say that nicotine is not a "harmful substance in tobacco". There's no nice way to put it.

Here's the government's own overview information on nicotine poisoning, which among other symptoms can cause convulsions, coma, and stopped breathing (all of which, I believe, would fall into the "harmful" category:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002510.htm

Look, I have no problem with selling nicotine patches, gum, and lozenges to people who think it will help them quit smoking or who simply wish to meet the needs of their lifelong nicotine drug addiction with a product that is less harmful than smoking. Fine. But, don't lie about it and say it's "not harmful".

[aztec]

In my class I learned that there are over 4,000 chemicals some of which HWC named,

Chemicals in cigarettes
According to seton health
There are 4,000 chemicals in tobacco products
Here’s a few
Carbon monoxide
Acetone
Arsenic
Butane
Carbon dioxide
Formaldehyde
Ammonia
Nicotine
Polonium etc etc
Polonium is a radioactive element that is inhaled in the lungs. Someone who smokes apack and ahalf a day get a daily dose of radiation equal to four chest x-rays.
'So what......... this is only my body craving nicotine.....the feeling in itself is not bad.............it is only the little monster saying........give me my nicotine or if you don't I'll wake up and trigger off all your old fears and beliefs................quote from quitsmokingonline.com

[cathi4]

God another great blog! What is happening to this site! There are some really great spirited debates here today. I especially chuckled at HWC SmithGlaxoKline reference! ROFL still!

Keep it up you guys. You are making this a destination that I can not fail to come into regularly to see what we are thumbing our nose at next! YOU GUYS ROCK!

[angelynna]

FYI jones, if you continue reading the article you linked, it says 5 cigs has enough nicotine to kill an adult IF all the nicotine is absorbed.. later on it says it's impossible to get nicotine poisoning from smoking alone.  If you're gonna use scare tactics at least get your facts right.  I'm not saying it's not harmful, but if 5 cigs were enough to poison someone to death we all would have dropped dead every time we relapsed.  And the fact that something is an insecticide doesn't necessarily make it poison.  I know people that feed their animals garlic to keep fleas away... but garlic isn't poison.

Could we just drop all the judgmental crap... whatever works is what a quitter should do, and whether that matches up to what you did to quit 100% or not is irrelevant.  We are different people and different things work, if there was only one right way to quit smoking, there wouldn't be all the options that there are.

[cathi4]

FYI the reason that so often there is prejudice about Pharma nicotine is that it is continuation of the said addiction in what ever form it takes. I can not count how many folks I know that have quit smoking with Pharma nicotine. The trouble is they still do the drug that they used to stop doing the drug! HUH? THIRTEEN years for one close friend, six for another, nine for another. Are these flukes, ah no I do not think so! I still can not "buy" the arguement that Pharma nicotine is an adequate replacement for smoking nicotine. I have no trouble with NRT's as aids to stop smoking but will I hear the stats for those who never stop nicotine but just change the delivery system to something more SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE? AH NO!

I am all for stats. Lets get a more balanced picture all around. Speaking of scare tactics. What is with the Low Ball quit percentages on cold turkey? Can we only slant things one way but not challenge the other!  Angelynne , maybe honey it is not judgemental crap but truthful crap and you just mixed it up?

[schwack]

How about we all just stop arguing over how bad which parts of a cigarette are to a person and all agree on one thing?  

Smoking will kill you, no matter what color you paint it.

Why not just shut up and quit?

I'm down with that.  Quit with Chantix 3 months, 3 weeks, and 1 day ago.

Quit however you want.  Its your quit.  JUST DO IT.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

actually this blog isn't about smoking at all. its a push for pharmaceutical substitutes

[schwack]

i should have clarified better.  My blog just now I think says what i meant to say.

Or worse.  

[Breakinchains]

Dr. Hurt and the mighty Mayo Clinic are FAR more concerned with raking in millions of dollars than they are about you or your health. Mayo doesn't bat an eye unless there's money involved.

[dawn4]

Doctor's advocate use of many addictive substances, both prescription and over the counter.  I believe they have a purpose in our culture, for some example pain control medications, cough remedies, anti-anxiety and meds for ADD/ADHD are addictive. 

Furthermore, currently, clinical trials are now underway on drugs that use nicotine -- which acts on the acetylcholine receptors in the brain -- to treat wounds, depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, anxiety, and other disorders...The development of nicotine patches for smokers trying to quit, as well as studies showing that smokers seemed to be protected from certain diseases, helped spur research into therapeutic use of nicotine. Still, nicotine-based pharmaceuticals face a stigma given the drug's long association with smoking.  http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2007/medical-uses-of-nicotine.html

My father who is 74 years old and has broken his back twice would not be able to function in any capacity were it not for his morphine pump.  I thank God for the miracle of modern medical practices. 

I'll say it again, we're it not for an NRT, I would not be getting ready to celebrate one year SMOKE FREE.  I wouldn't have even tried to quit again.

[laurie37]

I have been chewing nicotine gum for 10 years in places where I could not smoke. I realized that when I stopped smoking 14 days ago that I am chewing LESS nicotine gum. Which gives me hope to get off the gum eventually. Also, both of my medical doctors have said it was lots better than smoking. My husband quit cold turkey years ago and feels I am prolonging my suffering with NRT but I disagree.