Smoking and consequently, quitting smoking have become major health issues in the world these days. With so many people suffering from ailments that are caused by tobacco smoking, a lot of concern about smoking and why one should quit smoking is also spreading. In many countries, the most recent one being India, smoking bans in public places are being effected so as to curb passive smoking. It is about time that one quit smoking - but how? That is the main issue which is under fire and being debated and argued by doctors and smokers, researchers and people who have actually quit smoking. Nicotine Replacement Therapy of NRT is on the forefront of stop smoking aids.

How important is Nicotine Replacement Therapy as an aid for smoking cessation?

Of all the external aids and techniques currently available in the market, nicotine replacement therapy is the most popular and effective one. In most physical aids such as inhalers and patches, nicotine is released in the body of the smoker in decreasing quantities.

According to an interesting survey, about 60 percent of the smokers in various parts of the world and with varied lifestyles confessed that they would make use of external aids to help them in their battle to quit smoking. Consequently, we ourselves have become interested in how external aids help a person to quit smoking.

Market research has shown that there are several methods, stop smoking aids, and therapies which one can use but the most common and redundant therapy, that is applied in other quitting aids also is the Nicotine Replacement Therapy. There are several useful products which you can use to replace the tobacco nicotine in your body with chemical nicotine and these range from pharmaceutical drugs to various nicotine replacement products.

How does nicotine replacement therapy work?

Each method of nicotine replacement, trans-dermal patch, gum, spray or pill, administer metered doses of nicotine into the body either at the will of the user or in small doses throughout the day. Gums and sprays either use the oral or nasal passages to administer small doses of nicotine through the thin linings of these cavities. However, most users complain about factors such as taste, burning and irritation of the area of administration. Very often, these aids are quickly stopped as the smoker returns to tobacco for their nicotine needs.

More recently nicotine gels and creams have made an entrance into the market which work by rubbing the topical application on the skin. This applications are  absorbed through the skin much like the trans-dermal patches thereby delivering the nicotine directly into the blood stream.  There has been much controversy surrounding nicotine gels and creams as many in the medical industry claim that the skin is a barrier and would not permit large amounts of any foreign substance to enter the body immediately.

However, many users of nicotine gels and creams claim that it is one of the most effective nicotine replacement therapies without the unpleasant side effects. Nicotine pills are also an option as they deliver nicotine at a steady rate into the gut but may cause significant gastric disturbances. These time-release capsules are designed to control the nicotine release and allay withdrawal symptoms and craving.

Advantanges of Nicotine Replacement Therapy

There are several advantages of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) over other methods which do not make use of nicotine to help smoking cessation. Some of these advantages are:

• NRT allows users to develop new lifestyles and break from other mental links associated with smoking.
• Gradual process and therefore, found easy by a majority of quitters.
• Tobacco and nicotine cravings are also reduced.
• Nicotine withdrawal symptoms are less intense compared to other stop smoking aids.
• By reducing withdrawal symptoms, chances of successfully quitting smoking are just about doubled.

Taking a broader perspective, there are no such disadvantages of nicotine replacement therapy if it is used carefully and under expert medical supervision.

While there are a multitude of options which can help in quitting smoking completely, everything ultimately depends on your will and how motivated are you. Quitting smoking quickly is not difficult if you believe it is not difficult.

Regardless of which method you choose, if you do decide to use nicotine replacement therapy, remember that you should never use a form of NRT and smoke at the same time. If you smoke while wearing a nicotine patch, for example, you run the risk of introducing too much nicotine into your system, which can cause you to overdose. As with any new treatment, make sure you read the information that comes with the NRT or talk to your doctor or pharmacist to make sure you understand how to use the product safely.