Why Are Many Smokers Reluctant to Quit?




The main reason why smokers continue poisoning themselves (and those around them!) is a highly addictive nature of nicotine – the major ingredient found in tobacco. In fact, nicotine is such a strong drug that most smokers are unable to unhook from their cigarette dependency without pharmaceutical help.


Although every year more than 15 million people attempt to quit smoking, only about five percent of them succeed on a long run. Again, the strong addictive drug nicotine is to blame in the fact that the overwhelming majority of those who try smoking cessation eventually get back to their harmful habit.

Nicotine from tobacco smoke works by altering the structure of the central nervous system. It also affects the brain function. When a smoker abstains from consuming tobacco, his brain is deprived of a constant supply of nicotine it is used to. This results in severe withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability, anxiety, depression, headaches, and a general feeling of malaise. These symptoms, together with irresistible cravings for tobacco, are a sign that the nervous system of the smoker is well-hooked on nicotine and requires its usual “fix”.

Tobacco addiction is the same phenomenon as any other drug dependency. It is characterized by habitual, compulsive use of the substance even when the smoker is aware of negative health implications of her dangerous habit. It is a documented fact that many smokers from third-world countries will give preference to buying cigarettes even when they have hungry children at home, instead of buying basic foods for their household.

Nicotine dependency is a “physiological engine” that drives an urge to smoke. To beat the habit for good, a smoker should seriously address the cravings and be prepared to withstand the cruel symptoms of acute nicotine withdrawal. In a long run, she should also learn how to deal with “cigarette-free blues” – a common companion of a smoke-free life in those who used to regularly smoke tobacco for a period of at least several years.

A sharp discrepancy between the number of people who want to stop smoking and those who actually succeed is the strongest marker of an addictive nature of nicotine. Statistics demonstrate that more than 70 percent of current smokers wish they could kick the habit, but only a small fracture of that number are able to quit.

How do smokers become nicotine junkies? Nicotine inhaled alongside with cigarette smoke is delivered into the smoker’s body via a very effective transportation system. Every puff almost immediately sends the drug directly into the brain structure, which produces a sensation of calmness and alertness, and sometimes even a mild feeling of euphoria. Smoking feels good, so the smoker continues puffing. Eventually, long-term smokers undergo irreversible changes in their brain structure and reactions to nicotine, requiring more and more of the substance to be able to experience lasting pleasurable sensations from smoking. An average smoker takes about 200 puffs of nicotine-containing smoke a day, in order to supply a continuous flow of nicotine into his brain. No wonder cigarettes are so irresistibly addictive!

For those “nicotine junkies” who want to unhook, nicotine replacement therapy is the best option. Therapeutic nicotine contained in such products as Nicorette can effectively support a smoking cessation process. Nicotine patches, gums and inhalers work to slowly release strictly measured amounts of nicotine into the blood structure of a former smoker, thus almost eliminating severe symptoms of smoking withdrawal. It is estimated that the use of nicotine replacement therapy can more than double the smoker’s chances to quit!

Jimmy Edwards

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Posted on July 5, 2008 
Filed Under How to Quit Smoking, Stop Smoking

Comments

One Response to “Why Are Many Smokers Reluctant to Quit?”

  1. VJ Sleight on July 30th, 2008 12:38 am

    Nicotine replacement products have helped many smokers quit but it is a two part process, the second part is to stay quit and not relapse. As Mark Twain said, “It’s easy to quit smoking, I’ve done it hundreds of times.” Every method will work for some smokers, no method works for evey smoker. Teh challenge is to find out what works for you and not someone else and that can take trial and error. For free quitting tips visit: http://www.StopSmokingStayQuit,blogspot.com
    VJ Sleight, Queen of Quitting, a former smoker, cancer thrivor and tobacco treatment specialist.

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