People think that to quit smoking, all they have to do is to replace the nicotine supplied by the cigarette. There are a number of products available, many non-prescription, that give an ample way to obtain replacement nicotine. However, they aren’t very effective. The reason people continue to smoke is because of the Psychological Smoking Mechanism, not just a need for nicotine.
In this article, we shall look at some research on the potency of nicotine patches and gum.
The Nicotine Model of Smoking
Back in the 1990’s, nicotine got labeled as a highly addictive substance. It had been blamed for the reason people find it hard to quit smoking. Yet, using tobacco does not fit the definition of a chemical addiction.
In the nicotine model, craving nicotine is what keeps a person smoking. It followed that if nicotine could possibly be provided from the source other than cigarettes, the smoker would not crave cigarettes. Thus, the person would quit smoking cigarettes by replacing the foundation of nicotine with a nicotine patch or nicotine gum. Then, the new source of nicotine could possibly be gradually reduced over time before smoker’s “addiction” to nicotine was removed.
This would be a nice, simple solution if nicotine was the real driving force to smoke cigars. However, if you have various other reason people smoke, including the Psychological Smoking Mechanism, supplying nicotine will not be a highly effective substitute. Let’s look at some research on the effectiveness of nicotine patches and gum.
The Research
Two products that follow the chemical addiction model of using tobacco are nicotine patches and nicotine gum. They are superb products and do precisely what they say; they provide a very ample supply of nicotine. Since the smoker is getting generous levels of nicotine, which they are supposedly craving, the patches ought to be incredibly effective and take away the desire for a cigarette. But how effective are they?
Some research shows, (Davidson, M., Epstein, M., Burt, R., Schaefer, C., Whitworth, G. & McDonald, A. (1998)), only 19% of individuals on nicotine patches had stopped smoking at six weeks and it was reduced to 9.2% at half a year. Considering it another way, at 6 weeks, 81% of the people using nicotine patches were still smoking and at 6 months, about 91% were still smoking. Yes, 10% of those that had stopped were back at it again.
The outcomes for the gum was a comparable. Even though the gum was providing the smoker with a lot of nicotine, at 6 weeks, 84% of the people were still smoking and at 6 months, 92% were smoking.
The research showed that the 8% – 9% of the people who had stop smoking using the nicotine patches and gum were highly motivated to give up smoking! Put simply, they were removing their Psychological Smoking Mechanism.
A Real Life Example
A radio host was interviewing me concerning the Psychological Smoking Mechanism and throughout the interview he explained he was an ex-smoker. He said he had used nicotine gum to give up and it had taken him 2 yrs until he was finally from cigarettes. TWO YEARS!
Consider that for a moment. The nicotine gum was providing a big supply of nicotine in the same way it is designed to do. Yet, this man was smoking AND chewing the nicotine gum. In other words, the gum, loaded with nicotine had not been substituting for the cigarette since it theoretical should have done.
Since the man wished to quit, he finally stopped after 2 yrs. But it wasn’t the gum, it had been him changing his Psychological Smoking Mechanism without even realizing consciously what he was doing. Just like the 8% – 9% of the people in the study study mentioned above.
Nicotine isn’t the Motivator to Smoke
The quantity of nicotine a smoker gets in one cigarette is very small. Compare the cigarette to the body mass; it’s tiny therefore is the level of nicotine it contains.
However, these very effective nicotine dispensing products, nicotine patches and gum are loaded with nicotine. That’s what they are made to do; put adequate nicotine into the smokers system to, theoretically at the very least, replace the need to smoke a cigarette. However, most smokers have effects to these products because they are getting more nicotine than they ever did smoking. What does all of this extra nicotine do?
According to the American Lung Association, unwanted effects with the nicotine patch are:
Headache
Dizziness
Upset stomach
Weakness
Blurred vision
Vivid dreams
Mild itching and burning on the skin
Diarrhea
Yes, nicotine has an impact on the smokers body. However, with all the current things that smoking does to the smoker, it generally does not produce the consequences mentioned by the American Lung Association. This is another clue that nicotine is not the motivator to smoke.
nikotiini pussit Conclusion
If you go by the nicotine model to quit smoking, you will be disappointed. The only method to quit smoking is to remove the Psychological Smoking Mechanism through the use of proven, psychological techniques. When the mechanism is gone, so is smoking.
� Copyright 2010, R. Michael Stone
R. Michael Stone, M.S. – Counselor
33 years experience with subconscious communication and subconscious programming techniques.
Creator of The Unlearn Smoking Success System? – This program that provides you the powerful psychological tools essential to disassemble the Psychological Smoking Mechanism. This easy 28 day program helps you become, not an ex-smoker, but a Non-smoker. Learn how this program will let you permanently remove cigarettes from your life.
