CDC Report Evaluates Effective Smoking Cessation Methods

Many smokers become addicted to nicotine, a drug that is naturally found in tobacco. More people in the United States are addicted to nicotine than to any other drug – according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nicotine may be as addictive as heroin, cocaine, or alcohol.

Quitting smoking is difficult and oftentimes requires several attempts. People who stop smoking often revert back to smoking because of withdrawal symptoms such as feeling irritable, angry or anxious, having trouble thinking, craving tobacco products, feeling hungrier than usual.

Federal health regulators continue to de-emphasize electronic cigarettes and vaporizers as smoking-cessation options, even as they acknowledge increased use of the product.

The CDC released a 26-month survey of 15,943 adult cigarette smokers, published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, analyzing the most population smoking cessation techniques.

The study determined that 74.7 percent of survey participants used multiple methods during their most recent quit attempt.

“Giving up cigarettes all at once (63.3 percent) and reducing the number of cigarettes smoked (62 percent) were the most prevalent methods,” the CDC said. When it came to potential smoking-cessation methods, the nicotine patch, gum or other approved Food and Drug Administration (FDA) methods were popular amongst 25.4 percent of respondents. Other quit methods include getting help from a doctor or health professional (15.2 percent), using smoking-cessation medications approved by the FDA (12.2 percent), receiving help from a website (7.1 percent) or a quitline (5.4 percent).

E-cigarettes are quickly becoming the most popular smoking cessation product (35.3 percent); however, e-cigarettes are classified as a tobacco product by the FDA, creating controversy about whether it is a safe, effective smoking cessation tool.

“There is no conclusive scientific evidence that e-cigarettes are effective for long-term cessation of cigarette smoking,” the CDC said. “E-cigarettes are not approved by the FDA as a smoking cessation aid. We found that most smokers who are switching to e-cigarettes or ‘mild’ cigarettes are not switching completely. These smokers are not stopping their cigarette smoking.”

Source: Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)