In an essay released this week on PLoS Medicine, authors Simon Chapman and Ross MacKenzie from the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney, Australia speak out against the overemphasis on cessation methods such as nicotine replacement therapy. They claim this has led to the “medicalization of smoking cessation”. In fact, according to most ex-smokers the most successful method of quitting is still cold turkey or reduction until quitting.

Citing studies that have been published in 2007 and 2008, two-thirds to three-quarters of ex-smokers quit smoking on their own, and experienced less difficulty in quitting than they anticipated.

It is an important message to get out to the smoking population, that there is in fact an alternative to taking prescription or over-the-counter medication to aid in your cessation efforts. This is especially true for individuals who may not bulk at paying outrageous prices for a pack of cigarettes, yet find themselves unable to come to terms with spending money on tobacco control products.

Nicotine is a highly additive component of tobacco, with nicotine addiction being one of the reasons the majority of smokers find it so difficult to quit smoking. The health benefits associated with quiting smoking are many. Smoking is the cause of 90% of lung cancer and 30% of all cancer fatalities. Cigarette smoking is also directly related to coronary heart disease in both men ad women in the United States. Understanding just how deadly this habit can be, it is important to encourage all smokers to consider quitting. Cold turkey may be the most effective way to quit smoking, however any method that has the end result of not smoking should be considered a valuable tool in helping people quit. If you are a smoker looking for the best way to quit smoking, consult your physician for advise and begin your cessation plan today!

The Best Way To Quit Smoking: Cold Turkey was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

For anyone who has ever been or still is a smoker, there is no doubt that quitting is hard. Regardless of whether or not you are doing it solely for health reasons or just because you no longer have the money or the desire to smoke, it sometimes takes a lot more than willpower to get off the addiction to nicotine. Some smokers will rely on the advice and the assistance of their family physician but you may be surprised to learn that your doctor might not be able to help you. Sure, many doctors can easily tell you to stop smoking for your own good, but that’s where many draw the line.

The reason physicians are unable to help is because they lack the training for dealing appropriately and adequately with tobacco dependence and nicotine addictions. Many smokers will attempt to quit and fail several times without additional assistance. A reported 70% of current smokers actually want to quit but are unable to find success without additional help and the assistance of their own medical doctor. As patients who rely on the advice of our own medical provider for help, the lack of knowledge and training could indeed hurt a successful chance at quitting for good.

If you are thinking about kicking the habit, talk to your doctor about what they recommend. Do not be afraid to ask if he/she has been training in smoking cessation. If they admit to the lack of knowledge, inquire about where to go next for support and professional intervention outside your doctor’s office. A doctor should want to help you find the right resources to quit smoking. Perhaps they can give you a medical referral to seek additional treatment for the addiction issues.

Quitting smoking is a step in the right direction for improving your health and avoiding long-term medical issues that can get quite costly. Plus, by not having to purchase a pack of smokes everyday, you can end up saving thousands of dollars each year, which is a great start to a new plan for savings.

Why Your Doctor Might Not Be Able To Help You Quit Cigarettes was created by and is property of American Consumer News.