New Medications to Help You Kick Tobacco Addiction




While researchers are seeking new, more powerful and effective smoking cessation drugs, proven medications to help you quit smoking are already here. According to WebMD Medical News, there are three new anti-smoking treatments in the pipeline: a nicotine-containing lozenge; the drug Topamax that was originally invented to prevent seizures; and even the laughing gas nitrous oxide! Combined with a well-established arsenal of already available approaches, ranging from nicotine-replacing nasal sprays, inhalers, chewing gums and patches to such therapies as hypnosis, counselling and acupuncture, the new ways to quit smoking can ensure successful smoking cessation in everyone who wishes to become smoke-free – for life.


Stop-smoking lozenges are new drugs that can be used as part of nicotine-replacement therapy in those who are severely addicted to tobacco. Different types of lozenges that contain a measured amount of nicotine are already available in Great Britain. At the average, they provide the same dose of nicotine that does the gum or patch – from 2 to 4 mg. Lozenges work by reducing nicotine cravings and diminishing physiological symptoms of tobacco withdrawal. Within a period of about 12 weeks, people who attempt smoking cessation have to gradually reduce the dose, which should eventually lead them to being nicotine-free.

According to research, the use of nicotine lozenges can almost triple the rate of smoking cessation success, in comparison with other types of nicotine replacement therapy. Dr. Chris Steele, the director of a Manchester quit-smoking institute, says that his clinic has recently conducted a large-scale study involving 1,800 smoking cessation patients. The results of the study showed a high effectiveness of nicotine lozenges in anti-smoking therapy. During the trial, nicotine cravings were diminished by about 23 percent in those who used the lozenge.

Another promising medication from the smoking cessation arsenal is Topamax – a new anti-seizure pharmaceutical that has been successfully applied to treat symptoms of epilepsy. In those who wish to kick their smoking addiction, Topamax can inhibit nicotine-induced changes in the central nervous system. According to researcher Wynne Schiffer, who works for the New-York National Laboratory, this medication has been under investigation for already more than two decades, to assess its effectiveness in treating nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Tobacco addiction causes the brain to release feel-good chemical messages every time the smoker inhales cigarette smoke. Topamax blocks the transmission of these messages, thus preventing the smoker from feeling pleasurable sensations while puffing a cigarette. Therefore, this new medication can help smokers kick the habit by diminishing their urge to smoke, as well as reducing unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, says Schiffer.

The use of laughing gas in smoking cessation therapy is another innovation. Researchers of the Anchor Health Center, Naples, have demonstrated that controlled doses of nitrous oxide, the laughing gas usually applied to anaesthetize dental procedures, can be helpful in replenishing the brain neurotransmitter dopamine in people who are abstaining from tobacco. Controlled amounts of nitrous oxide can be effective in helping to cope with withdrawal symptoms caused by abstaining from alcohol or drugs, including cigarette smoking.

During the study, smokers who were treated with laughing gas showed a 85 percent reduction in smoking frequency, and almost half of them were able to stop smoking altogether within just three days after the beginning of the therapy. A whopping 92 percent of the subjects experienced a “noticeable decrease” in their tobacco cravings. Many of whose who had quit smoking with the help of nitrous oxide therapy still remained smoke-free after a half-a-year period.

However, the well-established smoking-cessation therapies remain the best option for those who want to kick their nicotine addiction. The most recommended methods are nicotine replacements medications, such as patches and gums, as well as the anti-depressant drug Zyban. In fact, Zyban is the only pharmaceutical product that is advocated by the U.S. Public Health Service as a highly effective smoking cessation option. It is also the only medication that has shown reliable results in long-term clinical studies.

If you want to quit smoking, complementary therapies, such as counselling, aromatherapy, massage, acupuncture, or hypnosis, may also be considered, especially in order to prevent relapses and achieve a long-term success in smoking cessation.

John Burke

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Posted on June 21, 2008 
Filed Under How to Quit Smoking, Stop Smoking, Stop Smoking News

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