Quitting smoking can make you feel better mentally and physically right away. And, if you can stick with it for a year, your risk of heart attack will fall by 50%. Yet, smoking cessation is easier said than done, and it’s not a good idea to rely on willpower alone. In fact, just 3-4 in 100 people remain non-smokers after a year when they quit without any assistance. Fortunately, quit-smoking products can help. Modern solutions like prescription meds, nicotine pouches, and CBD vapes can reduce nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms, which makes it easier for you to successfully break your addiction for good.
Varenicline (prescription medication)
Varenicline is a nicotine-free pill that prevents tobacco cravings and makes the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal more manageable. It also alters your brain chemistry so as to make smoking no longer pleasurable. When you smoke a cigarette, your brain produces dopamine, a mood-boosting hormone, in response to nicotine in your bloodstream, but Varenicline blocks your brain’s nicotine receptors, so you no longer get that feel-good feeling when you smoke. You’ll need to take Varenicline for at least a couple of weeks before you stop smoking for it to work, and it’s also suitable to use alongside other quit-smoking tools. You’ll also need a prescription from your healthcare provider to take this med.
Nicotine pouches
Nicotine pouches (or lozenges) are candy-like nicotine products that don’t contain tobacco, which means they’re free from harmful compounds associated with tobacco smoke like carcinogens or tar. They typically contain between 1.79-47.5 milligrams of nicotine per pouch, along with flavourings to make the product tasty (all sorts of flavours are available from mint and coffee to bubblegum and passionfruit, for example). Plastic-free pouches, in particular, can also deliver a superior mouthfeel, Kylmakorpi, nicotine pouch producers at pouchproduction.com explain. You simply pop a pouch in your mouth between your cheek and gum — there’s no need to suck, chew, or swallow. The nicotine is then absorbed into the bloodstream through the lining of your mouth.
CBD vape
CBD vaping is a method of consuming cannabidiol (CBD), naturally occurring cannabinoids found in hemp and cannabis sativa plants. A vape is a handheld device that lets you inhale CBD vape juice in vapour form; it then travels to the lungs where it enters the bloodstream. CBD vaping can potentially help you quit smoking as it provides a similar experience to smoking combined with the health benefits offered by CBD. In particular, CBD is a proven anxiolytic, which means it can reduce anxiety. So, as it can help you feel calmer and less stressed, CBD vaping may be able to help you get through tobacco withdrawal symptoms. However, more research is needed in this area to find out just how effective CBD vaping really is.
Quit-smoking products promise to help you kick your habit in the long term. If you need extra support in addition to these tools, it’s always best to consult a professional healthcare provider trained to treat tobacco dependence.
