LV LifeHealth & Fitness

Patches, gums help smokers quit

illustration by Adam Omernik
illustration by Adam Omernik

by Julie Kim
Staff Writer

For University of La Verne junior Tracy Tierney, it took a pregnancy to stop a 14-year habit of smoking.

“It gave me the willpower to quit since I was responsible for another human being,” the 27-year-old art major said.

Now, three years later, Tierney is back to where she started.

Many disheartened smokers looking to quit are familiar with the trials and tribulations of unsuccessful attempts – the several “cold turkeys,” the expensive hypnosis sessions, the physical wear-and-tear from nicotine lapses.

But smoking in the United States is decreasing, said Hector Delgado, associate professor of sociology at the University of La Verne.

And that’s partly because studies have shown that smoking-cessation products such as patches, gums, sprays and pills work to some degree – if used correctly.

Most of the anti-smoking industry relies on nicotine replacement therapy, a treatment that gradually, and realistically, stops nicotine-intake instead of quitting cold turkey.

According to a report compiled by Rick Wiechula, director of operations at the Joanna Briggs Institute, an Australian health professionals organization that conducts and promotes medical research, “all forms of NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) were found to be significantly more effective than placebo or no (nicotine replacement therapy).”

The transdermal patch, which works by giving minimal doses of nicotine through the skin, is one of the many products that use NRT.

“When the use of the patch is combined with a behavior modification program, sustained 12-month abstinence rates range from 12 to 25 percent,” according to research by Robert Shubinski, clinical assistant professor of psychology and behavioral science at the University of Nevada, Reno.

In addition, there are several benefits in using the product: no weight gain – unlike quitting cold turkey—and brands that come in light or heavy varieties for people who need different levels of nicotine.

NicoDerm CQ, Commit Lozenges and Habitrol are just some of the patches available on the market.

A major setback is the cost: about $100 a kit. But quitting now prevents the financial burden of future medical bills and a hefty $1,000 a year on a pack-per-day habit.

Some smokers have been known to cut patches into smaller pieces to save money.

For those people, Shubinski recommends NicoDerm.

“(It’s) the only patch that can be cut without destroying (its) ability to deliver nicotine through the skin to the bloodstream reliably,” he said

Another form of NRT can be found in the gum. Products like Nicorette come in 2 or 4 milligram pieces.

They can be paired with the patch to further reduce nicotine cravings and withdrawals, Shubinski said they also offers light to heavy forms. In addition, gums like Amcal are less than half the price of patches.

However, some critics, including Shubinski, consider gums less helpful for long-time smokers compared to the patch.

But “low-dependence smokers may be effectively treated with the lower concentration gum (2 milligram),” Wiechula said.

Nasal sprays, a third version of NRT, work much quicker than gums and patches. They offer immediate relief by immediately hitting the bloodstream similar to the way inhaling a cigarette does.

When used for a six-week period, they are just as effective as the gum in reducing cravings, Shubinski said. But smokers should not extend use beyond six months because of its potency.

Only doctors provide sprays, but the ULV Student Health Center offers prescriptions for a popular nasal spray called Nicotrol, said Cynthia Denne, director of student health services and services for students with disabilities.

Another prescription-only product is Zyban, a nicotine-free pill that helps smokers over 18.

Approved by the FDA in 1997, it’s an antidepressant used to reduce cravings and withdrawal, Shubinski said. Zyban relieves anxiety and depression, symptoms that stem from withdrawal.

An added bonus is that with professional supervision, Zyban can also be taken with the patch.

The Health Center also offers prescriptions for Zyban, along with physical assessments and counseling for smokers, Denne said.

But few students have taken advantage of the program.

“As long as I can remember, maybe two students have come to the Health Center for help,” she said.

“I think those products work depending on how long you’ve been smoking,” said Daniel Beld, a freshman criminology major. As an occasional smoker, he worries about his family’s history with heart disease.

“Nicotine is 10 times more potent than heroin in its addictive properties,” Shubinski said.

Smoking is so dangerous that it is even banned in ULV residence halls, said Eugene Shang, assistant director of leadership programs and housing. “It’s mostly for health benefits, but safety is involved, too.”

Cigarettes cause 25 percent of fire-related deaths, Shubinski said.

But even with diseases like emphysema, asthma, impotence and heart attacks linked to smoking, cigarettes haven’t been banned.

“Illegalizing them will have an economic impact since tobacco companies have enormous power,” Delgado said. “Also, big tobacco companies sometimes fund politicians who can side with its cause.”

Karen Donahue, ULV assistant professor of sociology agreed: “Tobacco lobbyists do exist,” she said.

Giving up nicotine seems like it is beyond anyone’s powers, but no one is alone in the problem. According to Shubinski, 80 percent of smokers have tried to quit at least once.

“Quitting decreases the overall risk of death (all causes combined) by 50 percent in 15 years as compared to continuing smokers,” he said.

Ending addiction is probably one of the hardest things anyone has to do, but with assistance, there can be light at the end of a smoke-free tunnel.

Julie Kim
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