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  • Essay / Quitting Smoking: Overview of Alternatives

    According to Schneider, M. and Schneider, HS (2017), smoking is the leading actual cause of death in the United States; an estimated 480,000 people die from it every year. In fact, more recent studies have shown that smoking increases the risk of dying from several other diseases, increasing the total number of deaths attributable to smoking to approximately 540,000. Recently, the increase in cigarette use electronics, especially among high school students, has exploded. For many reasons, e-cigarettes shouldn't really be marketed as "a safer alternative to smoking" because they cause just as many health problems as old cigarettes. The biggest rave right now among high schoolers is JUULS. A countless number of young people, aged 14 to 21, are addicted to nicotine. Can you imagine being addicted to nicotine at the age of 14, just to be socially accepted by your peers? In fact, one JUUL pod is equivalent to 20 nicotine cigarettes. So the question remains: how exactly can we get people to quit smoking? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Quitting smoking is not a single event that can happen in a single day; It is said to be more like a journey for some people. For a person to quit smoking, they not only have to change their behavior and deal with the horrible withdrawal symptoms that come with quitting, but they also have to find a way to manage their mood. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can help reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings that one may experience; both of these things can hinder your attempt to quit smoking. NRTs were designed to help wean your body off cigarettes and, in turn, provide you with a controlled dose of nicotine; sparing you from exposure to the deadly chemicals found in tobacco. Currently, the FDA has approved five types of NRT, including: skin patches, chewing gum, lozenges, nasal spray, and an inhaler. A second alternative that should be considered, when trying to quit smoking, is the use of non-drug nicotine products. The FDA has approved two non-nicotine medications to help smokers quit. These are varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion (Zyban). Varenicline interferes with nicotine receptors located in the brain, which in turn leads to a reduction in the pleasure of smoking and even decreases withdrawal symptoms. Typically, varenicline is used for up to 12 weeks, but may be used for an additional 12 weeks, to avoid any risk of relapse. Bupropion primarily acts on chemicals in the brain that play a role in nicotine cravings. Bupropion is taken in tablet form, but again, it is used for up to 12 weeks. If the person has successfully quit smoking during this period, they can use it for another 3 to 6 months, to reduce the risk of relapse. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper now from our expert writers. Finally, in a recent study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins, incredible smoking cessation results were achieved when psychedelic mushrooms were combined with cognitive behavioral therapy sessions. It was said that the abstinence rate of study participants was 80 percent, after just six months of use. This percentage is much higher than the rates of..