Smoking has become a worldwide epidemic with estimates of current smokers near 25 million. The exposure of tobacco companies’ attempts at hiding the harmful effects of tobacco use has resulted in a change in the way the public views smoking. Advertising campaigns have been launched that target the negative health effects of long term tobacco usage. Raising the public’s awareness of the results of a lifetime of smoking has helped to strip away the glamour and sophistication of smoking and has led to more and more smokers seeking ways to kick the nicotine habit.

Tradition Methods To Stop Smoking

A popular method to quit is going “cold turkey” where a smoker simply decides to stop smoking suddenly and does not rely on any stop smoking aids. While this method may work for some, the failure rate is higher than those who choose to seek help in their quest to become a nonsmoker.

Nicotine replacement therapies likes patches, gums and lozenges are available without a prescription and are preferred by many smokers as they gradually decrease the amount of nicotine in the body over time instead of an abrupt withdrawal.

Prescription medications are available that target the levels of certain hormones in the brain, much the same way as medications aimed at relieving depression symptoms. The course of treatment usually lasts seven to twelve weeks and a physician can determine which medication is the most appropriate choice.

Non-Traditional Methods To Stop Smoking

Some other non-tradition therapies have become popular like acupuncture, hypnosis and laser therapy to help stop smoking. These alternate methods are not widely accepted by the mainstream population and a smoker should seek evaluation by a physician to be cleared medically before any non-traditional therapies are attempted.

The newest treatment in America’s quest to stop smoking is laser therapy. This is performed using a cold laser and works in the same manner as modern acupuncture only without the needles. Although it does not work for everyone, some clinics offering this procedure are reporting a success rate of 64%. The goal of the therapy is to release endorphins into the bloodstream by targeting pressure points in the body with the cold laser therapy and helping to make stopping smoking an attainable goal for the patient.

Using laser therapy to stop smoking has not received FDA approval and can seem like a quick fix to some smokers and a more traditional approach may feel like a better choice. Submitting to an unusual treatment like laser therapy to help stop smoking can cause fear and anxiety in patients seeking relief from nicotine cravings.

Whatever method is used, any attempt at quitting is to be applauded. It has been estimated that every single cigarette takes five minutes off a smoker’s life so every cigarette counts.

Joining a support group and getting information on the harmful effects of smoking along with finding out from ex-smokers what helped and what didn’t can also greatly increase a smoker’s chances of successfully quitting. If traditional treatments have failed to bring a release from nicotine addiction, it may be time to research some of the non-traditional therapies available.