Learn about using inhaled nicotine and nicotine replacement therapy, like patches, as a helpful tool to reduce smoking and achieve sustained abstinence, potentially for the long term, with manageable side effects.
The best way to prevent the harmful effects of smoking on health is to quit. Many smokers find it difficult to quit smoking, even with support and assistance. This is due to their dependence on nicotine, a psychoactive substance that causes strong addiction. Historically, nicotine replacement therapy has been used to help people quit smoking, as it significantly reduces the urge to smoke. A study published in the British Medical Journal found that using nicotine patches can help reduce smoking for a while, and nicotine replacement therapy is safe when combined with smoking.
This study was a randomized, controlled trial versus placebo. The study lasted four months, with follow-up for two years. It included 400 nicotine-dependent volunteers, either with nicotine patches or a placebo, and asked them to reduce smoking to the lowest possible level. The researchers measured the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Carbon monoxide levels in exhaled air were also measured at each follow-up point, compared to baseline.
After four months, sustained abstinence from smoking was observed in 52 individuals (26%) who received nicotine replacement therapy, compared to sustained abstinence from smoking in 18 individuals (9%) who received the placebo. After two years, 19 individuals (9.5%) in the nicotine therapy group had sustained abstinence from smoking, compared to 6 individuals (3.0%) in the placebo group. The common side effects reported from nicotine patch users were skin irritation and sleep disturbances, but were generally mild.
The researchers concluded that nicotine replacement therapy is effective and safe in achieving sustained abstinence from smoking for up to two years. Smokers who cannot, or are not ready to, quit smoking completely may use nicotine therapy to reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke.
