Stop Smoking Medicine - How Effective Is It?

May 10, 2008

Today, conservative as well as alternative medicines to help you stop smoking are present in the market. The article which follows is a comparative study of the two types.

There are two types of medicines which can help you bring an end to smoking. The two kinds of medicines are the conservative and alternative. Those medicines which are recommended by the doctors are the conservative medicines. These medicines are prescribed along with the smoking therapies, indicating that these medicines cannot work alone. In contrast, the alternative method is making its presence felt in a huge way. The alternative medicine is developed from traditional herbs and is hundred percent natural.

Conventional medicine has been used for a long time in smoking cessation, but its development has occurred only recently. There are many well-known brands that are prescribed to smokers, such as NicVAX, Wellbutrin or Zyban, Chantix, etc. The common thing in all these medicines is that they are actually antidepressants and their major role in smoking cessation is to prevent depression pangs from happening in the smoker.

In fact a lot of doctors are of the opinion that these drugs are not lasting in their effects. As these medicines are mainly antidepressants they let the body get used to them over a period after that the effect does not last. Also though these medicines are probably useful for smokers with mild habit they are ineffective when it comes to people who are hardened smokers.

It is because of these reasons that doctors usually recommend these conventional medicines along with therapies like nicotine patch. The nicotine patch therapy is itself controversial as it does contain nicotine. The question of how effective nicotine will be in weaning away nicotine addiction is something that is debated even today in the field of medicine. Although behavioural therapies are recommended, the effectiveness is very subjective.

Alternative medications that are used are nothing but herbal remedies. These herbal remedies are more than antidepressants, unlike the conventional medicines, these herbal medicines act in various ways. They work in a way that helps the smoker to develop a dislike for the property nicotine and this in turn helps the person get rid of the nicotine addiction. They are also considered to be safe antidepressants as they are entirely natural and are suited for any type of person.

Herbal medicines are designed in such a way that they not only cure the addiction problem but also ensure that the damage already done to the body due to smoking is also cured. The process takes time and in fact for some the healing time might even take several years. The time period required will obviously depend on the level of the person’s smoking.

Lobelia is an often used herbal medicine that helps stop smoking. It is like tobacco if tasted but of course does not contain the same addictive properties. Quit smoking cigarettes are made using this. This is effective as smoking these cigarettes gives the smoker the same satisfaction but does not harm the body and mind in a way that nicotine cigarettes are sure to do. Other such helpful herbs are Saint John’s Wort, Kava Kava and chamomile.

Alternative medicines are coming up with great results when tests are conducted t o test their effectiveness in use. Though the FDA is yet to approve them, people have largely accepted them as it’s effectiveness is the main USP.

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