Quitting Smoking May Be Easy With the Help of Your Family Doctor




Researchers working at the Canada’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health have recently conducted a study to determine the most efficient methods of kicking tobacco addiction. Surprisingly, their findings show that consulting your health care practitioner can play a key role in overcoming cigarette dependency! Since many smokers attempt to quit on their own, but only a small percentage of them succeed, an effective intervention and relevant medical help can be crucial to regain a smoke-free life.


“Doctors are there to advice patients how to stop smoking, and coming for a consultation can almost double your chances for success,”- says researcher Bernard Le Foll. He points out that a family doctor can explain causes and mechanisms of tobacco addiction, analyse your particular case, educate on the recent advances in anti-tobacco intervention, advice on the most suitable methods of quitting, and monitor your smoking cessation progress.

The study shows that more than 70 percent of smokers come to their doctors each year for various health-related consultations, so family physicians have a great opportunity to encourage them to quit their harmful addiction. They can increase the smoker’s motivation to stop consuming tobacco, and they can also recommend a comprehensive approach to smoking cessation which includes assessment, counselling, and pharmacologic intervention to overcome the patient’s nicotine dependency.

According to the researchers, long-term and heavy smokers usually respond best to the following types of drug therapy – nicotine patches, varenicline, and bupropion. Some smokers also need supportive therapy with such drugs as clonidine and nortriptyline.

Statistical surveys also demonstrate that most successful attempts to stop smoking have been achieved without drug intervention or any other medical help. Such non-pharmacologic therapies as behavioural counselling, massage, acupuncture, or hypnosis should also be promoted, particularly for those smokers who do not want to take drugs. However, pharmacological methods are now proven to be highly effective since they allow to almost triple the rates of smoking cessation success.

Results of the research have been reported at the Journal of the Canadian Medical Association.

Darlene Marlow

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Posted on July 10, 2008 
Filed Under How to Quit Smoking, Stop Smoking News

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