Nicotine-Free Smoking Cessation Aids

Although the major focus of pharmacological treatments for tobacco addiction has been nicotine replacement, other treatments are also being studied. For example, the antidepressant bupropion was approved by the FDA in 1997 to help people quit smoking, and is marketed as Zyban. Varenicline tartrate (Chantix) is a new medication that recently received FDA approval for smoking cessation. This medication, which acts at the sites in the brain affected by nicotine, may help people quit by easing withdrawal symptoms and blocking the effects of nicotine if people resume smoking.

Several other nonnicotine medications are being investigated for the treatment of tobacco addiction, including other antidepressants and an antihypertensive medication, among others. Scientists are also investigating the potential of a vaccine that targets nicotine for use in relapse prevention. The nicotine vaccine is designed to stimulate the production of antibodies that would block access of nicotine to the brain and prevent nicotine's reinforcing effects.

Behavioral Treatments
Behavioral interventions play an integral role in smoking cessation treatment, either in conjunction with medication or alone. They employ a variety of methods to assist smokers in quitting, ranging from self-help materials to individual cognitive-behavioral therapy. These interventions teach individuals to recognize high-risk smoking situations, develop alternative coping strategies, manage stress, improve problemsolving skills, as well as increase social support. Research has also shown that the more therapy is tailored to a person's situation, the greater the chances are for success.

Traditionally, behavioral approaches were developed and delivered through formal settings, such as smoking-cessation clinics and community and public health settings. Over the past decade, however, researchers have been adapting these approaches for mail, telephone, and Internet formats, which can be more acceptable and accessible to smokers who are trying to quit. In 2004, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) established a national toll-free number, 800–QUIT–NOW (800–784–8669), to serve as a single access point for smokers seeking information and assistance in quitting. Callers to the number are routed to their state's smoking cessation quitline or, in states that have not established quitlines, to one maintained by the National Cancer Institute. In addition, a new HHS Web site offers online advice and downloadable information to make cessation easier.

Quitting smoking can be difficult. While people can be helped during the time an intervention is delivered, most intervention programs are short-term (1–3 months). Within 6 months, 75–80 percent of people who try to quit smoking relapse. Research has now shown that extending treatment beyond the typical duration of a smoking cessation program can produce quit rates as high as 50 percent at 1 year.

Source: EverydayHealth.com