Do You Need Help Quitting Smoking?
Drug Treatments Reduce Withdrawal & Cravings
Quitting, Keep Trying

Do you need help quitting? Assistance is available, including drug treatments and organized cessation and support programs.

In America, over 50 million people smoke. According to the Federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 40 percent will try to quit at least once in 2002. Unfortunately, fewer than 1 out of 10 will be successful. Many smokers will try to quit 5 to 7 times before they finally succeed, and in most cases this is only after taking proper steps, which today include different medications and smoking cessation programs. With the new kinds of assistance available, experts agree there has never been a better time to quit.

Today, there are many scientifically validated drug treatment choices that can reduce withdrawal and cravings. Four nicotine replacement methods are safe and have been proven effective: gum, a patch, an inhaler, and a nasal spray. They have minimal side effects, extremely low risk of addiction, and are free of approximately 4,000 of the harmful substances that are found in cigarettes. The drug Bupropion (also known as Wellbutrin) has proven effective in reducing the dose of nicotine the body receives and in taking the edge off cravings and withdrawal. Drug treatments work best when combined with organized cessation and support programs and/or individual counseling.

Tobacco experts believe that smokers should keep trying to quit. There are a lot of options out there to help you. Keep trying. Many give up too soon. And keep in mind, even if you have tried and only stopped smoking for days or weeks at a time, you still have a good chance of succeeding in the end.

As I was working on this article, I found a reborn force inside me, pushing me to attempt to quit smoking yet another time. I am ready to live a healthier life. I hope this article helps convince you that there are ways to make that change. If you do choose to quit, unlike some situations in life, there will be no negative repercussions. Your family and friends will support you, and in the end, they will thank you.
—Aisha Mahy, Publications Assistant

See also: 
     Head Start Bulletin #75 [PDF, 6.5MB]