Information embargoed until midnight on Sunday 25 June 2006
GIVING NICOTINE TO SMOKERS WHILST
STILL SMOKING CAN HELP THEM QUIT
Today (26th June 2006) at the UK National Smoking Cessation Conference, experts are suggesting that one of the best ways to help the 12.5 million UK smokers to quit, is to offer them nicotine in the form of nicotine replacement products, whilst they are still smoking.
Speaking at the conference, Professor John Hughes, Department of Psychiatry at the University of Vermont, USA, says his latest research(1) shows that cutting down the number of cigarettes smoked, with the help of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), can lead to an increase in the number of quit attempts made and in the chances of those quit attempts being successful. This strategy could be useful for smokers who feel they are not quite ready to stop smoking and for those who have tried and failed to stop smoking previously.
Dr Ann McNeill, Honorary Senior Research Fellow at University College London stresses that Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products are a less harmful form of nicotine delivery than cigarettes. “Most smokers smoke for the nicotine and if we can find a way of offering smokers nicotine without the lethal chemical compounds in the smoke, we could prevent many of the 100,000 deaths each year that smoking causes.”
However, despite recent changes to the regulation of NRT products they are still more tightly regulated than cigarettes and much less accessible. Dr McNeill is calling for easier access to NRT products and for example, would like to see them sold alongside cigarettes in corner shops and even pubs. As she stresses, “There is still huge misunderstanding that nicotine causes cancer, whereas it is the other components of cigarette smoke that do most of the damage.”
Whilst some argue that offering nicotine is simply perpetuating an addiction and total abstinence would be better, for many smokers this is not an option. This is particularly true in deprived and disadvantaged groups and amongst those with mental health issues, where up to 70% of the population smoke and have greater dependence on nicotine.
Currently NRT is available over the counter and can be prescribed for up to 12 weeks use. It is treated by UK regulatory authorities as a medicine and comes with a long list of possible side effects and contra-indications. Cigarettes can be bought more easily and come with one health warning on the packet.
If NRT is to be used as a means of harm minimisation in taking nicotine, changes may be needed to the current NRT products, to make them more competitive with cigarettes. For example, currently NRT patches deliver nicotine slowly and it takes several hours for the nicotine levels to peak, compared to the almost instant nicotine delivery via a cigarette.
Professor John Hughes concludes in his latest research, “New strategies may be necessary to prompt smokers to attempt to quit smoking. Smoking reduction with NRT may be one such ‘foot in the door’ strategy for smokers, particularly those who are unwilling or unable to quit when motivationally based advice and abrupt cessation are the only alternative.”
The debate remains as to whether NRT products are purely nicotine maintenance or whether they will help people stop smoking. Current evidence is showing that giving nicotine does help quit rates and possible reasons include gradual reduction rather than sudden abstinence, boosted self-esteem and confidence in a product rather than relying on self-motivation alone.
-ends-
Editors notes:
- The UK National Smoking Cessation Conference (UKNSCC) is the world’s largest annual gathering of smoking cessation practitioners. Held at the Sage Gateshead conference centre, this year, it runs over two days – Monday 26 June and Tuesday 27 June. Every year the conference attracts speakers from Europe, the US and New Zealand.
For more information visit www.uknscc.org
- (1) Carpenter M, Hughes J, Solomon L, Callas P, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2004 Vol 72. No.3. 371-381
- Speakers are available for interviews and filming.
Press Enquiries:
For press enquiries please call Victoria Lush Tel. 01730 825103
Mobile 07919 194217. Victoria@vlush.free-online.co.uk
|
To download this press release as a Word file - 
