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How to Stop Smoking with Nicotine Replacement Therapy

The number of people abusing various forms of drugs has gone up. Similarly, the number of trying to quit has also increased. Many use smoke quitting medications as a way of reducing cigarette cravings and withdrawal feelings. These kinds of drugs can tremendously increase your chances of quitting permanently. Nicotine replacement therapy, commonly referred to as NRT, is a method many people use in quitting smoking. This method reduces withdrawal feelings by introducing controlled amounts of nicotine into your body. NRT doesn’t involve any of the other toxic chemicals you get in cigarettes. By giving you controlled amounts of nicotine, NRT helps satisfy your nicotine cravings, reducing the urge to smoke. 

Medical experts believe that Nicotine replacement therapy is one of the most reliable and dependable methods smokers can use to quit smoking. Even though NRT has several mild to moderate side effects, it is proven safe and effective. This is an essential method that everyone trying to quit smoking should consider. There are various forms of NRT, and it is also used in different ways. You have the liberty to choose which format works best for you. Given the wide range of NRT products, people tend to prefer certain products over others. 

Determine Why you Want to Stop Smoking

Stop smoking
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You don’t just wake up and decide to quit smoking. There are reasons behind the decision to quit smoking. Here are some of the reasons that might trigger you to stop smoking: 

  • To lengthen your life expectancy: Smoking can significantly reduce your life expectancy. Research shows that smoking can reduce your lifespan by up to 15 years. 
  • Reduce the risk of disease: Diseases like throat cancer, lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, ulcers, high blood pressure, reflux, sexual and erectile dysfunction have been associated with smoking. Besides, kidney stones are another condition that smoking can cause. You might, therefore, want to quit smoking to reduce the risk of getting these deadly diseases. 
  • Reduce the risk of anesthesia complications during surgery: During surgeries, people that smoke risk getting infections. This can cause readmission just after the surgery. 
  • Reduce your children’s chances of getting sick: When you smoke at home, you expose the fumes to your children. This can cause ear infections and respiratory complications, especially to infants.
  • To feel healthier: Another reason you might want to quit smoking is to feel healthier. If you cough a lot when smoking, have stuffy noses or sore throats, you might want to turn on the page. Quitting smoking can increase your energy levels and motivate you to engage in exercises. 
  • To improve your personal life: Humiliating diseases like erectile dysfunction are caused by smoking. You end up having a lousy sex life because of smoking. This can stress you out and, in many cases, lead to infidelity. To avoid such occurrences, you might be motivated to quit smoking. 

Smokeless Options

There are several forms of smokeless smoking that help with nicotine replacement therapy. They include nicotine gum, nicotine patches, and nicotine pouches. 

Nicotine Gum

Nicotine gum
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You can buy nicotine gum without a prescription. It is one of the fast-rising forms of replacement. You can take nicotine through the mucous membrane of your mouth. To get it, buy it over the counter. If you don’t know how to use or take them, ask for a prescription. Nicotine gum comes in 2 mg and 4 mg strengths. 

Using Nicotine Gum

If you want the best performance of nicotine gum:

  1. Follow the doctor’s prescription. You can chew the gum slowly until it produces a peppery tingle or taste.
  2. Tuck it under your tongue or cheek until its taste fades. If it does fade, chew it again to get the peppery tingle back.
  3. Repeat the process until you feel the impact. 

Nicotine Pouches

Nicotine pouches
Alexclere, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

They are pre-portioned pouches containing either synthetic nicotine or tobacco-derived nicotine. They don’t contain tobacco, dust, leaf, or stem. Nicotine pouches are described as either tobacco-free or a similar version of snus. No form of combustion is involved in nicotine pouches. When using a nicotine pouch, you put it in between lips and keep it there while nicotine is released into your system. After finishing, you can dispose of the pouch in a trash can or any other safe place. 

Today, many nicotine companies produce nicotine pouches with a storage area in the top case where you can keep used poaches. This is useful in environments where trash cans are not available. You need to know that small pouches are not the same as chewing tobacco — the user doesn’t need to spit since the contents stay inside the pouches during use. 

What are Nicotine Pouches

Nicotine pouches have become the new way of smoking nicotine without having to stain your teeth. Nicotine pouches don’t have any form of tobacco. All they contain is some elements of nicotine obtained from the Nicotiana tabacum plant. It is made of fresh flavors, a unique blend of natural fibers, a chewing gum base, and small amounts of nicotine. This mixture gives the optimal softness, and you can fit it discreetly under your lip. 

Benefits of Nicotine Pouches

Nicotine pouches have the following benefits:

  • They are smoke-free: What makes nicotine pouches better than cigarettes is that they are smoke-free. With them, you can’t, in any way, affect those around you. You won’t release any smoke from your nose! How lovely!
  • Less harmful than vaping and smoking: Compared to tobacco and vaping, nicotine pouches are way less destructive. With nicotine pouches, the risk of getting diseases like lung cancer is minimal. Not only does it help control the urge to smoke, but it also gives you the required levels of nicotine. 
  • Spit-free: Those that smoke cigarettes tend to spit a lot. When using nicotine pouches, however, you don’t have to spit. This makes you a neatly organized person. 
  • Tobacco-free: Nicotine pouches are tobacco-free. Tobacco causes a wide range of health-related problems like cancer. Nicotine pouches don’t have this substance, making them much safer.

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